15,16-Dihydroxy-alpha-eleostearic acid
Encyclopedia
15,16-Dihydroxy-α-eleostearic acid, or 15,16-Dihydroxy-(9Z,11E,13E)-9,11,13-octadecatrienoic acid, is an organic compound
with formula , or H3C-CH2-(-CH(OH)-)2(-CH=CH-)3-(-CH2-)7-(C=O)OH. It can be seen as derived from α-eleostearic acid by the replacement of two hydrogen
atoms by two hydroxyl
(OH) groups.
The compound is found in the pulp and seeds of bitter melon
s (the fruits of Momordica charantia). It has been found to induce apoptosis
in HL60
leukemia
cells in vitro
at a concentration of 160 μM, although it is less potent in this regard than the unsubstituted α-eleostearic acid (also found in the seed oil). While α-eleostearic acid has been found to prevent carcinogenesis
in rat
s, this derivative does not seem to have that effect.
The compound can be extracted from the fruit with ethanol
, and is soluble in ethyl acetate
but not in water or acetone
.
Organic compound
An organic compound is any member of a large class of gaseous, liquid, or solid chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon. For historical reasons discussed below, a few types of carbon-containing compounds such as carbides, carbonates, simple oxides of carbon, and cyanides, as well as the...
with formula , or H3C-CH2-(-CH(OH)-)2(-CH=CH-)3-(-CH2-)7-(C=O)OH. It can be seen as derived from α-eleostearic acid by the replacement of two hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
atoms by two hydroxyl
Hydroxyl
A hydroxyl is a chemical group containing an oxygen atom covalently bonded with a hydrogen atom. In inorganic chemistry, the hydroxyl group is known as the hydroxide ion, and scientists and reference works generally use these different terms though they refer to the same chemical structure in...
(OH) groups.
The compound is found in the pulp and seeds of bitter melon
Bitter melon
Momordica charantia, called bitter melon or bitter gourd in English, is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean for its edible fruit, which is among the most bitter of all fruits...
s (the fruits of Momordica charantia). It has been found to induce apoptosis
Apoptosis
Apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death that may occur in multicellular organisms. Biochemical events lead to characteristic cell changes and death. These changes include blebbing, cell shrinkage, nuclear fragmentation, chromatin condensation, and chromosomal DNA fragmentation...
in HL60
HL60
The HL-60 cell line is a leukemic cell line that has been used for laboratory research on how certain kinds of blood cells are formed. HL-60 proliferates continuously in suspension culture in nutrient medium supplemented with fetal bovine serum, L-glutamine, HEPES and antibiotic chemicals. The...
leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
cells in vitro
In vitro
In vitro refers to studies in experimental biology that are conducted using components of an organism that have been isolated from their usual biological context in order to permit a more detailed or more convenient analysis than can be done with whole organisms. Colloquially, these experiments...
at a concentration of 160 μM, although it is less potent in this regard than the unsubstituted α-eleostearic acid (also found in the seed oil). While α-eleostearic acid has been found to prevent carcinogenesis
Carcinogenesis
Carcinogenesis or oncogenesis is literally the creation of cancer. It is a process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells...
in rat
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
s, this derivative does not seem to have that effect.
The compound can be extracted from the fruit with ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
, and is soluble in ethyl acetate
Ethyl acetate
Ethyl acetate is the organic compound with the formula CH3COOCH2CH3. This colorless liquid has a characteristic sweet smell and is used in glues, nail polish removers, and cigarettes...
but not in water or acetone
Acetone
Acetone is the organic compound with the formula 2CO, a colorless, mobile, flammable liquid, the simplest example of the ketones.Acetone is miscible with water and serves as an important solvent in its own right, typically as the solvent of choice for cleaning purposes in the laboratory...
.