Ursolic acid

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.

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.

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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