Abstract
Ursolic and oleanolic acids are secondary plant metabolites that are known to be involved in the plant defence system against water loss and pathogens. Nowadays these triterpenoids are also regarded as potential pharmaceutical compounds and there is mounting experimental data that either purified compounds or triterpenoid-enriched plant extracts exert various beneficial effects, including anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anticancer, on model systems of both human or animal origin. Some of those effects have been linked to the ability of ursolic and oleanolic acids to modulate intracellular antioxidant systems and also inflammation and cell death-related pathways. Therefore, our aim was to review current studies on the distribution of ursolic and oleanolic acids in plants, bioavailability and pharmacokinetic properties of these triterpenoids and their derivatives, and to discuss their neuroprotective effects in vitro and in vivo.
Highlights
The brain is an essential part of the human body, neurological disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease), stroke/ischaemia and brain cancer usually have a significant effect on vital functions
The results suggest that certain C27OAs might be developed as specific TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) sensitizers and used as chemotherapy agents in glioblastoma patients with low levels of caspase-8 or p53 activity
The reviewed data suggest that neuroprotective activity of Ursolic acid (UA)/oleanolicacid acid (OA) and their derivatives could be associated with their ability to stimulate the cellular antioxidant defence systems and to downregulate the proinflammatory pathways in neurodegeneration or ischaemic brain damage models in vitro and in vivo
Summary
The brain is an essential part of the human body, neurological disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease), stroke/ischaemia and brain cancer usually have a significant effect on vital functions. Oxidative stress has been recognized as a hallmark of the pathogenesis of these disorders. The stimulation of cellular antioxidant systems and quenching of ROS and RNS generation, modulation of cell death and anti-inflammatory pathways have proven to be promising neuro-therapeutic approaches [2,3,4]. Naturally occurring and synthetic ursane and oleanane triterpenes have been immensely studied due to their wide ranging and promising anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities [13,14,15,16]
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