Quantification of cucurbitacin E in different varieties of melon (Cucumis melo L.) fruit through validated RP-HPLC method

Abstract

The different varieties of melons (Cucumis melo L.) have been used in various traditional systems of medicine for decades to treat different ailments, including inflammation, cancer, cardiovascular, diabetes, edema, etc. The present study was designed for the quantification of cucurbitacin E in five different varieties of melon fruit through a validated RP-HPLC method. A solvent system is being optimized with a 70:30 (v/v) ratio of acetonitrile: water (1% glacial acetic acid) at a 1 mL/min flow rate and scanning spectrum (λ_max) of 230 nm. A calibration curve for standard cucurbitacin E was generated and found to be linear (1–100 µg/mL). The variation of cucurbitacin E content among five different varieties of melon fruits is 0.0129% w/w– 0.231% w/w. This precise and reproducible method may be beneficial in addressing the quality-related aspects of medicinal food plants of Cucurbitaceae and its derived products or formulations.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Cucumis melo L
• varieties
• Cucurbitaceae
• cucurbitacin E
• RP-HPLC
• standardization
• method validation

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), India for facilitating the Ph.D. in Pharmacy research fellowship for the first author. The authors are also grateful to Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Govt. of India, New Delhi through Vide Letter Ref No. EMR/2016/007037. We are grateful to the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development in Imphal, India, for giving valuable assistance and support through the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development, Imphal, India, and Jadavpur University, India collaboration.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology.