• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.888-896
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• 2012

Considering the dearth of information regarding the medicinal properties of Luffa cylindrica, we assessed the antioxidative, antimutagenic and hyperplasia inhibitory activity of cancer cells from Luffa cylindrica extracts by employing biological and biochemical assays. Ethanol extracts of Luffa cylindrica inhibited MDA-BSA (malondialdehyde-bovine serum albumin) conjugation reaction ($66.38{\pm}2.65$), DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) radical production ($60.13{\pm}0.42$) and lipid peroxidation ($56.04{\pm}3.24$). In this study, Luffa cylindrica is believed to exert possible antioxidative effects. The direct and indirect antimutagenic effects of the ethanol extracts of Luffa cylindrica were examined by the Ames test using Salmonella typimurium TA98 and TA100. The inhibitory effects on indirect and direct mutagenicity shows an weak tendency, particularly in direct mutagenicity mediated by 2-nitrofluorene in Salmonella typimurium TA98 ($5.82{\pm}5.74$) and in indirect mutagenicity mediated by 2-anthramine in Salmonella typimurium TA100 ($5.76{\pm}2.15$). The ethanol extracts of Luffa cylindrica on cancer cell hyperplasia inhibitory activity via MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay exerted cytotoxic effects on Hela cells ($55.83{\pm}3.83$) and MCF-7 cells ($33.03{\pm}2.09$), which were used in this study. Based on these results, it believed that the ethanol extracts of Luffa cylindrica have antioxidative capacities as well as hyperplasia inhibitory activity of cancer cells. Furthemore, Luffa cylindrica is a candidate for the prevention and dietetic treatment of chronic diseases and for the development of functional food.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.67-69
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• 1996

Some physical properties and inorganic components of sap from sponge-gourd(Luffa cylindrica L.) were investigated for their changes affected as collection time. Huter valves, pH, turbidity and viscosity of the sap were not different. pH value was indicated at slightly alkalinity and decreased by culturing period. Potassium, calcium and magnesium were major inorganic components of the sap and podium, zinc and iron were minor components. Copper was not detected in open culturing and also manganes way not detected in all samples.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.341-347
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• 2019

Luffa cylindrica (LC) is a very fast-growing climber and its fruit have been considered as agricultural wastes. We conducted to check the comparative qualities of ethanol solvent extraction (LCE) and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (LCS) of L. cylindrica fruit and seed. LCS had higher antioxidant and polyphenol contents than LCE. LCS were significantly increased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-a and involucrin expression as epidermal differentiation marker in 3D skin equivalent model. LCS also showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, a causative bacteria in atopic dermatitis. In addition, LCS inhibited the adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. When treated with the extract at a concentration of 100 ㎍/mL, the Wnt/β-catenin pathway reporter luciferase activity of HEK 293-TOP cells was increased approximately by 2-folds compared to that of the untreated control group. These results indicate that L. cylindrica supercritical carbon dioxide extract may serve as a cosmeceutical for improving skin barrier function and the treatment of obesity.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.211-214
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• 2006

In 2004 and 2005, Phytophthora rot on Luffa cylindrica which had not been reported in Korea occurred in the experimental field at Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services. The disease initiated on leaves and fruits of the plant with small watersoaked dark brown spots and progressed rapidly. The causal pathogen isolated from diseased tissues was identified as a Phytophthora sp. because of aseptate mycelia and zoospores released directly from sporangia. The fungus grew well on PDA and 10% V-8 juice agar showing an arachnoid or rosaceous colony pattern. Sporangia formed abundantly in water and were conspicuously papillate, noncaducous, ovoid to globose, and sized $26\sim62\times19\sim38{\mu}m$. The fungus was heterothallic as producing sexual reproduction structures only when mated with only A2 standard mating type strain. Oogonia and oospores were spherical, smooth walled, and measured as $20\sim28{\mu}m\;and\;16\sim24{\mu}m$, respectively. Oospores were aplerotic and antheridia were amphigynous, unicellula and spherical. Chlamydospores were globose and $20\sim38{\mu}m$ in diameter. Optimum temperature for growth was around $28\sim30^{\circ}C$. The fungus caused similar symptoms on artificially inoculated plant and could be re-isolated thereby proving Koch's postulation. Based on the mycological criteria investigated in this study, the causal fungus of Luffa sylindrica rot was identified as Phytophthora nicotianae. This is the first report of Phytophthora rot of Luffa cylindrica caused by P. nicotianae in Korea.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.107-110
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• 2016

In October 2014, an occurrence of gray mold was observed on young fruits of sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica) in Sachunmun, Gangneung, South Korea. Symptoms included abundant mycelia growth with gray conidia on young fruits and finally rotting the fruits. The fungus was isolated from symptomatic fruits and its pathogenicity was confirmed. Based on the morphological features and sequence analysis of ITS-5.8S rDNA, G3PDH, HSP60, and RPB2 genes, the pathogen was identified as Botrytis cinerea Pers. This is the first report of gray mold caused by B. cinerea on L. cylindrica in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.249-251
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• 1991

The cytotoxic and antibacterial activities of the leaf, the stem and the seed extracts of Luffa cylindrica were evaluated against L1210 cells and Streptococcus mutans OMZ176, respectively. Among hexane, ether, butanol and water fractions, the ether fraction demonstrated the most potent cytotoxic activity, and the $ED_{50}$ values of the ether extract from the leaf, the stem and the seed were 3.5, 3.7 and $13.7{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Meanwhile, the other fractions showed negligible effect. Separately, it was found that the antibacterial activity of the respective fraction from three parts was insignificant.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.1019-1022
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• 2008

The chromosome numbers and compositions were investigated in four cultivated species of Cucurbitaceae; Cucumis sativus L., Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. et Nakai, Cucumis melo L., Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roemer. through general aceto-orcein staining method. The chromosome compositions of four species were diploids of 2n=22, 2n=24 and 2n=26 respectively. The chromosomes were relatively small and showed gradual length degradation from $2.50\;{\mu}m$ to $2.16\;{\mu}m$ in Cucumis sativus, $3.71\;{\mu}m$ to $2.11\;{\mu}m$ in Cucumis melo, $3.20\;{\mu}m$ to $2.40\;{\mu}m$ in Citrullus lanatus and $3.17\;{\mu}m$ to $1.97\;{\mu}m$ in Luffa cylindrica. The chromosome types consisted of all metacentrics in Cucumis sativus, seven pairs submetacentrics and five pairs metacertrics in C. melo, four pairs of submetacentrics and seven pairs metacertrics in Citrullus lanatus, and two pairs submetacentrics and eleven pairs metacentrics in Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roemer.. The satellites were found in a pair of chromosomes in C. melo and two pairs in Luffa cylindrica. The chromosome compositions in these four species showed species-specific patterns and seemed to provide useful informations for breeding and molecular cytogenetic works on Cucurbitaceae.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.540-545
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• 2009

Aloe (Aloe vera L.), cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. var. tuberculatus Gabaj.) and sponge.gourd (Luffa cylindrica L.) are well utilized in Asian countries as traditional medicines and cosmetics, or foods. And we carried out an experiment to see if there are some specific ratios among trace metals on the plants. Though the metal concentrations varied significantly depending on the sampling periods, aloe gel is high in iron (Fe) and calcium (Ca). Cucumber fruit juice is also high in iron (Fe) and potassium (K). Sponge.gourd sap contains a high amount of zinc (Zn) and calcium (Ca). The uses of the previous 3 plant parts are considered to have some relations to their different ratios and of their trace metals.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2010

The objective of the present investigation is to evaluate the antimicrobial potency of the terpenoid fractions isolated from Luffa cylindrica seeds against various pathogenic microbes. The seeds were powdered and extracted with methanol in soxhlet appratus based on phytochemical screening. Three terpenoid components were isolated by column chromatography and identified by thin layer chromatography and chemical analysis which were designated as ${LCSF_4}^*$, ${LCSF_6}^*$ & ${LCSF_8}^*$ respectively. Disc diffusion method was employed to determine the antimicrobial effectiveness of test compounds I, II and III $({LCSF_4}^*,\;{LCSF_6}^*\;&\;{LCSF_8}^*)$ against 6 microbial species viz., Staphylococcus (S.) aureus, Bacillus (B.) subtilis, Escherichia (E.) coli, Pseudomonas (P.) aeruginosa, Candida (C.) albicans and Aspergillus niger. The disc was saturated with $100{\mu}l$ of each compound, allowed to dry and introduced on the upper layer of seeded agar plate. The plates were incubated overnight at $37^{\circ}C$. Microbial growth was determined by measuring the zonal inhibition diameters. Compound I showed maximum potency against gram positive S. aureus (21 mm) in comparison with standard ciprofloxacin (38 mm), whereas the same compound was completely devoid of activity against both the fungi tested. Compound II was found to be highly sensitive against both the gram negative E. coli (20 mm) and P. aeruginosa (22 mm). Compound II was found to exhibit maximum potency against the fungi C. albicans (15 mm) and A. niger (20 mm). Compound III was found to be very effective against both the gram positive S. aureus (20 mm) and B. subtilis (15 mm) respectively.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.366-372
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• 1991

The volatile components, normal hydrocarbons, organic acids, and nonvolatile fatty acids in the various parts of Luffa cylindrica(L.) Roemer(sponge-gourd) were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. More than 150 volatile components were separated and thirty seven components were identified and quantified. The contents of essential oil were 0.05%, 0.05%, and 0.08% on a dried weight base in leaves, stem, and seeds respectively. Fruit juice and sap contained 0.06% and 0.03% oil on the fresh weight base. Twenty six components of normal hydrocarbons in leaves, stem, seed, and unripe fruit were separated, identified, and quantified. The total concentrations of the hydrocarbons were $75.5\;{\mu}g/g$ in leaf, $52.0\;{\mu}g/g$ in stem, $46.6\;{\mu}g/g$ in fruit juice, and $32.8\;{\mu}g/g$ in seed fractions. The major hydrocarbons in leaves, stem, and fruit juice were $nC_{25}$, $nC_{27}$, $nC_{29}$, and $nC_{31}$, $nC_{16}$, $nC_{17}$, $nC_{18}$, and $nC_{19}$ were abundant in seeds mainly. The concentration of malonic acid among the five organic acids was highest in leaves, stem, and flowers. Unripe fruit contained 24.5 mg/g of the five organic acids and malic and citric acids were higher. The concentrations of palmitic, linoleic, and linolenic acids were higher concentration in the various parts of sponge-gourd and palmitic acid was distributed in the most parts. The concentrations of organic and fatty acids in the sap were negligible.