Antimicrobial activity of oleanolic and ursolic acids: an update.

Jéssica A Jesus,Luiz Felipe D Passero,João Henrique G Lago,Eduardo S Yamamoto,Márcia D Laurenti

doi:10.1155/2015/620472

Abstract

Triterpenoids are the most representative group of phytochemicals, as they comprise more than 20,000 recognized molecules. These compounds are biosynthesized in plants via squalene cyclization, a C30 hydrocarbon that is considered to be the precursor of all steroids. Due to their low hydrophilicity, triterpenes were considered to be inactive for a long period of time; however, evidence regarding their wide range of pharmacological activities is emerging, and elegant studies have highlighted these activities. Several triterpenic skeletons have been described, including some that have presented with pentacyclic features, such as oleanolic and ursolic acids. These compounds have displayed incontestable biological activity, such as antibacterial, antiviral, and antiprotozoal effects, which were not included in a single review until now. Thus, the present review investigates the potential use of these triterpenes against human pathogens, including their mechanisms of action, via in vivo studies, and the future perspectives about the use of compounds for human or even animal health are also discussed.

Highlights

The triterpenoids are the most representative group of phytochemicals; they comprise more than 20,000 recognized compounds and are biosynthesized in plants through squalene cyclization [1]
These works indicate that Oleanolic acid (OA) and ursolic acid (UA) inhibit viral spreading in different host cell lineages with high levels of sensitivity and selectivity; this mainly depends upon the virus type and the host cell
UA and OA present remarkable antimicrobial activities, and they act against important human pathogens such as mycobacteria, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and different protozoal species

Summary

Introduction

The triterpenoids are the most representative group of phytochemicals; they comprise more than 20,000 recognized compounds and are biosynthesized in plants through squalene cyclization [1]. These triterpenoid acids frequently occur simultaneously because they share similar structural features These compounds have shown similar pharmacological activities, such as hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects, which may be attributable to the different substructures in A, C, and E rings or other positions (Figure 1). OA (3β-hydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid with widespread occurrence throughout the plant kingdom This compound and its derivatives possess several interesting pharmacological activities, such as antiinflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and hepatoprotective effects. UA (3β-hydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid compound that shares a common cooccurrence with OA in several plant species; it features a more restricted distribution when compared to OA [12, 84]. OA and UA, highlighting the importance of these compounds as leading molecules with pharmacological and medical importance in the development of new drugs

Microbicidal Effects of Oleanolic and Ursolic Acids

Findings

Conclusion