Sterols from the stems of Momordica charantia

Abstract

A new sterol, 5α,6α-epoxy-3β-hydroxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-8, 22-dien-7-one (1), together with eight known sterols, 5α,6α-epoxy- (22E,24R)-ergosta-8,22-diene-3β,7α-diol (2), 5α,6α-epoxy- (22E,24R)-ergosta-8,22-diene-3β,7β-diol (3), 5α,6α-epoxy- (22E,24R)-ergosta-8(14),22-diene-3β,7α-diol (4), 3β-hydroxy- (22E,24R)-ergosta-5,8,22-trien-7-one (5), ergosterol peroxide (6), clerosterol (7), decortinol (8), and decortinone (9), were isolated from the stems of Momordica charantia. Their structures were elucidated by mean of extensive spectroscopic methods, including 1H, 13C, 2D-NMR and HR-EI-MS, as well as comparison with the literature data. Compounds 1, 4, 5, 8, and 9 were not cytotoxic against the SK-Hep 1 cell line.