Two new cucurbitane triterpenoids 1 and 2 were isolated, together with six known compounds, from the seeds of Momordica charantia L. The structures of new compounds were determined to be 3-O-{[β-d-galactopyranosyl(1 → 6)]-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl}-23(R), 24(R), 25-trihydroxycucur-bit-5-ene (1), 3-O-[β-d-galactopyranosyl]-25-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-7(R), 22(S), 23(R), 24(R), 25-pentahydroxycucurbit-5-ene (2), respectively. Their structures were elucidated by the combination of mass spectrometry, one- and two-dimensional NMR experiments and chemical reactions.
Keywords: Cucurbitaceae; Momordica charantia; cucurbitane triterpenoids; seeds.