Momordin is one of several saponins derived from oleanolic acid, a triterpenoid. These chemical compounds are found in some plants of the genus Momordica, which includes the bitter melon (M. charantia) and the balsam apple (M. balsamina), as well as in other Asian herbal medicine plants such as Kochia scoparia and Ampelopsis radix.
Momordins include:
- Momordin I, oleanolic acid 3-O-ñ-L-arabinopyranosyl(1âÂÂ3)-ò-D-glucuronopyranoside. A white powder that decomposes at 235âÂÂ240 ðC. Found in the root of Momordica cochinchinensis where it constitutes 10% of the dried methanol extract.
- Momordin Ia, from M. cochinchinensis.
- Momordin Ib, from M. cochinchinensis.
- Momordin Ic or (3ò)-17-carboxy-28-norolean-12-en-3-yl 3'-O-(ò-D-xylopyranosyl)-ò-D-glucuronide (), CAS number 96990-18-0. It is obtained as colorless fine crystals that decompose at 240 ðC. It inhibits gastric emptying in mice.
- Momordin Id, from M. cochinchinensis.
- Momordin Ie, CAS 96158âÂÂ13âÂÂ3.
- Momordin II, the 28-O-ò-D-glucopyranoside of momordin I. Colorless needles, soluble in methanol, that melt at 240âÂÂ245 ðC. Also from M. cochinchinensis; identical to hemsloside Ma 1 from Hemsleya macrosperma and H. chinensis
- Momordin IIa, from M. cochinchinensis.
- Momordin IIb, from M. cochinchinensis.
- Momordin IIc, either the same as oleanic acid or (quinoside D)[ò-D-glucopyranosyl 3-O-[ò-D-xylopyranosyl-(1âÂÂ3)-O-(ò-D-glucopyranosyluronic acid)] oleanolate]
- Momordin IId, from M. cochinchinensis.
- Momordin IIe, CAS 96158âÂÂ12âÂÂ2.
- Momordin III, 3ò-hydroxy-11ñ, 12ñ-epoxy-olean-28,13-olide 3-O-ñ-L-arabinopyranosyl(1âÂÂ3)-ò-D-glucuronopyranoside. Also from M. cochinchinensis.
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