Medicinal Foodstuffs. XI. Histamine Release Inhibitors from Wax Gourd, the Fruits of Benincasa hispida COGN.

Abstract

The methanol extract of wax gourd (Japanese name "Tougan"), the fruits of Benincasa hispida COGN. (Cucurbitaceae), was found to show inhibitory activity on the histamine release from rat exudate cells induced by antigen-antibody reaction. Through bioassay-guided separation, four known triterpenes and two known sterols were isolated as active components together with a flavonoid C-glycoside, an acylated glucose, and a benzyl glycoside. Among the active triterpenes and sterols, two triterpenes, alnusenol and multiflorenol, were found to potently inhibit the histamine release.