An-Najah Staff

Purpose: this study aims to approve the folk uses for Ecballium elaterium [(L.) A. Rich.] for treatment of hemorrhoids, varicose veins also for nose bleeding in the West Bank-Palestine. We search about phytochemicals, which improve elasticity of blood vessels. One of the most famous compounds with that effect is phytomelin. Method: a qualitative and quantitative analysis of phytomelin from leaves, fruits, and flowers of Ecballium elaterium (L.) A. Rich (exploding cucumber) in Palestine. After drying the sample for 30 days at 60 ºC, phytomelin was extracted using methanol. The methanol extracts of these parts were quantified using reversed phase liquid chromatographic method. Isocratic elution was employed using a mixture of methanol, acetonitrile and a 0.28% (v/v) of acetic acid (5:10:35). The flow rate was 1 ml/min. Results: calibration of the overall analytical procedure gave a linear signal(r>0.998) over a concentration range of 0.1 -0.6 mg/mL of phytomelin. The proposed method was successfully applied for quantitative determination of phytomelin in leaves, fruits, and flowers of Ecballium elaterium (L.) A. Rich Keywords: Exploding cucumber, Ecballium elaterium, HPLC analysis, glycoside, Phytomelin content.