[Cucurbitacins as stathmokinetic agents]

A synergism of colchicine and different cucurbitacins has been shown, to be a cause in the formation of ball-metaphases in Bryonia species. The bitter principles cucurbitacin L and I, dihydrocucurbitacin B, and tetrahydrocucurbitacin I, which were examined more closely with respect to their karyological effects, were shown to give rise to C-metaphases in Hordeum and Vicia at concentrations of about 0.016 per cent. On the one hand the number of mitotic stages is reduced, and on the other hand there is an increase of metaphase stages. Higher concentrations lead to pycnotic degenerations of nuclei and are toxic. When colchicine is applied together with cucurbitacins, ball-metaphases result. This could be demonstrated in plants lacking colchicine and cucurbitacins (Hordeum) when both substances were applied at the same time. Ball-metaphases also appear in plants containing cucurbitacins (Bryonia alba, B. dioica, Citrullus colocythis, Iberis amara) when they are treated with colchicine.