1991 Volume 39 Issue 3 Pages 716-719
A new abortifacient protein, named karasurin, was isolated from fresh root tubers of Trichosanthes kirilowii MAXIMOWICZ var. japonicum KITAMURA (Cucurbitaceae, Japanese name : kikarasuuri) by the procedure involving acetone fractionation and ion-exchange chromatography on Toyopearlpak SP 650S. Homogeneity of Karasurin was demonstrated by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Karasurin was a highly basic protein of pI 10.1 and the molecular weight was estimated as 28000 by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Karasurin showed a strong abortion effect in pregnant mice.