title: Beta-trichosanthin: a new abortifacient protein from the Chinese drug, wangua, Trichosanthes cucumeroides.
abstract: beta-Trichosanthin was a new abortifacient protein purified from the Chinese drug, Wangua, root tubers of Trichosanthes cucumeroides (Cucurbitaceae). The purification procedure involved acetone fractionation, ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography on CM-Sepharose and preparative agarose electrophoresis. Homogeneity of beta-trichosanthin was demonstrated in immunoelectrophoresis, agarose electrophoresis and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It had a molecular weight of 28,000 and no cysteine in its molecule. It differed from trichosanthin, a known abortifacient protein isolated from a related Chinese drug, Tianhuafen, root tubers of Trichosanthes kirilowii (Cucurbitaceae), in molecular weight, carbohydrate content, charge and amino acid composition. beta-Trichosanthin was, however, immunochemically identical to trichosanthin and was about twice as potent as trichosanthin in inducing mid-term abortion in mice.
mesh_terms: D000019:Abortifacient Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D007122:Immunoelectrophoresis; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008518:Medicine, East Asian Traditional; D051379:Mice; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011247:Pregnancy; D015978:Trichosanthin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D000019:Abortifacient Agents; D000596:Amino Acids; D010940:Plant Proteins; C053144:beta-trichosanthin; D015978:Trichosanthin