Abstract
Phytochemical investigation of the methanolic extract of Cucumis melo L. (Cucurbitaceae) seeds furnished a new triterpene benzoate derivative: cucumol B (1) and four known flavonoids: quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (2), quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), quercetin (4), and luteolin (5). Their structures were identified by UV, IR, 1D (
13
C and
1
H), 2D (HSQC,
1
H-
1
H COSY, HMBC, and NOESY) NMR, and HRESIMS spectral as well as comparing with literature data. Compound 1 has been assessed for the in vitro cytotoxic effect against SKOV-3, MCF-7, and HCT-116 cell lines. It had selective and potent effect toward SKOV-3 and MCF-7 cell lines with IC
50
s 2.05 and 0.41 μM, respectively, in comparison to doxorubicin (IC
50
s 0.32 and 0.05 μM). However, it showed moderate activity toward HCT-116 cell line with IC
50
8.27 μM.