ANTIINFLAMMATORY, ANTITUMOR AND ANTIFERTILITY EFFECTS IN RODENTS OF 2 NOR-CUCURBITACIN GLUCOSIDES FROM WILBRANDIA SPECIES

The purified fraction (PF) of the rhizome of Wilbrandia sp. (Cucurbitaceae) that contained two nor-cucurbitacin glucosides (WG1 and WG2) demonstrated potent antiinflammatory, antitumour and antifertility effects in rats and mice at oral doses ranging from 50 to 200 mg/kg. In rat, it significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced hind paw oedema and granulomatous lesion, while in mice the increased vascular permeability induced by acetic acid was markedly reduced. The PF exhibited an antitumour effect in rats bearing Walker 256 carcinosarcoma and also demonstrated cytotoxic action against KB cells in vitro. In regularly cycling mice, PF treatment suppressed the incidence of the oestrus phase of the reproductive cycle suggesting a possible antiovulatory effect. The rats that received PF from days 1 to 7 of pregnancy showed either a total absence or a reduced number of implantations in utero. The PF failed to exhibit abortifacient, oestrogenic or antioestrogenic actions. The results indicate that the nor-cucurbitacin glucosides of Wilbrandia sp. possess a novel spectrum of pharmacological activity different from that of cucurbitacins described earlier from other plants of this family.