Bioactive Cucurbitacins

Vegetables and fruits are an important part of the diet, and they provide nutrition and have several health benefits. Cucurbitacins are tetracyclic triterpenoid compounds mainly distributed in the Cucurbitaceae family. Cucurbitacins are bitter compounds produced in plants as defense chemicals and they protect plants from herbivores, insects, and parasites. Cucurbitacin-containing plants are making an important part of the human diet in the form of vegetables and fruits. Plants containing cucurbi