Ursolic acid health benefit, found in various herbs and plants and potential benefit for cancer treatment

Ursolic acid is a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid carboxylic acid, is the major component of some traditional medicine herbs and is well known to possess a wide range of biological functions, such as anti-inflammation, and anticancer activities, Ursolic acid is present in many plants, including apples, bilberries, cranberries, elder flower, peppermint, lavender, oregano, thyme, hawthorn, prunes. Ursolic acid is a triterpene that has antioxidative and antiglycative properties.

Apoptosis, cancer of prostate
Ursolic acid induces PC-3 cell apoptosis via activation of JNK and inhibition of Akt pathways in vitro.
Mol Carcinog. 2010 Feb 9. Department of Urology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
Ursolic acid, a pentacyclic triterpenoid compound, has been demonstrated to have an antiproliferative effect in various tumors. We investigated the cell killing effects of this substance in the human hormone refractory prostate cancer cell line, PC-3 cells. Although further evaluation of the ursolic acid effects in vivo is needed, the present results suggest the potential utility of this substnace as a novel therapeutic agent in advanced prostate cancer.

Ursolic acid for cognitive enhancement
Ursolic acid ameliorates cognition deficits and attenuates oxidative damage in the brain of senescent mice induced by D-galactose.
Biochem Pharmacol. 2007 October. Key Laboratory for Biotechnology on Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province, Xuzhou Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, PR China.
Here we assessed the protective effect of ursolic acid against the d-galactose (D-gal)-induced neurotoxicity. We found that ursolic acid markedly reversed the D-gal induced learning and memory impairment by behavioral tests. The following antioxidant defense enzymes were measured: superoxide dismutases (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR). The content of the lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA) was also analyzed. Our results indicated that the neuroprotective effect of ursolic acid against D-gal induced neurotoxicity might be caused, at least in part, by the increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes with a reduction in lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that the pharmacological action of ursalic acid may offer a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of age-related conditions.

Ursolic acid for diabetes
Ursolic acid enhances the cellular immune system and pancreatic beta-cell function in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice fed a high-fat diet.
Int Immunopharmacol. 2009 Jan; Department of Nutrition Education, Graduate School of Education, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 540-742, Republic of Korea.
This study investigated the effects of ursolic acid on immunoregulation and pancreatic beta-cell function in type 1 diabetes fed a high-fat diet for 4 weeks. Male mice were divided into non-diabetic, diabetic control, and diabetic-ursolic acid (0.05%, w/w) groups, which were fed a high-fat (37% calories from fat). Our results indicate that ursolic acid exhibits potential anti-diabetic and immunomodulatory properties by increasing insulin levels with preservation of pancreatic beta-cells and modulating blood glucose levels, T-cell proliferation and cytokines production by lymphocytes in type 1 diabetic mice fed a high-fat diet.

Many plants contain ursolic acid
Calligonum polygonoides has calligonolides A and B, butanolides, tetracosan-4-olide, beta-sitosterol and its glucoside, and ursolic acid.
Eriophyton wallichii has beta-sitosterol, marrubiin, ursolic acid, cimigoside (4), 5-deoxyantirrhinoside, 8-epiloganic acid (6) and apigenin.
Morus nigra has olcancolic acid , apigenin, cyclocommunol, morusin, cyclomorusin, kuwanon C, daucosterol, ursolic acid, 63-sitosterol.
Pseudostellaria heterophylla has 2-minalin , 3-furfuryl pyrrole-2-carboxylate, ursolic acid, acacetin, luteolin, acacetin 7-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (6-->1)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside.
Valeriana officinalis L.has valerenic acid, beta-sitosterol, ursolic acid, 4, 4', 8, 8'-tetrahydroxy-3, 3'-dimethoxyl-dibenzyl-ditetrahydrofuran, caryophyllene acide,valerane, naphthalene, linoleic acid, ethyl ester, and myrtenyl acetate.

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