Antioxidant constituents in the fruits of Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem

J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Jun 14;54(12):4186-90. doi: 10.1021/jf0604790.

Abstract

Hydrophilic antioxidant constituents in the fruits of the vegetable Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem (sponge gourds) were separated by an antioxidant-guided assay to yield eight compounds: p-coumaric acid (1), 1-O-feruloyl-beta-D-glucose (2), 1-O-p-coumaroyl-beta-D-glucose (3), 1-O-caffeoyl-beta-D-glucose (4), 1-O-(4-hydroxybenzoyl)glucose (5), diosmetin-7-O-beta-D-glucuronide methyl ester (6), apigenin-7-O-beta-D-glucuronide methyl ester (7), and luteolin-7-O-beta-D-glucuronide methyl ester (8). The eight compounds were isolated by high-speed countercurrent chromatography and identified by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry and NMR analysis, and the antioxidant activity was evaluated by the radical scavenging effect on the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that a total amount of the eight compounds in the dried gourds without skin was about 1%. The results demonstrate that the consumption of sponge gourds can supply some antioxidant constituents to human body.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antioxidants / analysis*
  • Antioxidants / isolation & purification
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Fruit / chemistry*
  • Luffa / chemistry*
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Molecular Structure
  • Phenols / analysis*
  • Phenols / chemistry
  • Phenols / isolation & purification
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Phenols