Popis: |
This study was aimed to identify compounds in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) ethyl acetate extract (EAE), which inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in RAW264.7 cells. Bitter gourd EAE was partitioned between n-hexane and methanol/H2O (90/10). The hexane fraction was further separated by repeated silica gel chromatographies, and a reverse phase (RP) C18 chromatography. Fraction RP-10 showed the highest inhibition effect on PGE2 production (Max inhibition = 96%, IC50 = 2.3 μg/ml) and was identified to be triglycerides constituted of short and medium chain fatty acids by 1H NMR, IR and H–HCOSY, and dicarboxylic acids by GC/MS. Fatty acids with 3–20 carbons were tested for the inhibitory activity, and capric acid exhibited the highest effect (Max inhibition = 99%, IC50 = 6.5 μM). In conclusion, triglycerides composed of short and medium chain fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids in bitter gourd inhibit PGE2 production, and capric acid is the most potent inhibitor among the fatty acids. |