Ursolic acid

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases continue to be threatening and deadly to human kind. Resistance to and side effects of known drugs for treatment further increase the threat, while at the same time leaving scientists to search for alternative sources from nature, especially from plants. 

Adipose tissue inflammation plays an important role in the regulation of glucose and lipids metabolism. It is unknown whether Ursolic acid (UA) could regulate adipose tissue inflammation, though it can regulate inflammation in many other tissues. In this study, 3T3-L1 adipocytes, DIO mice and lean mice were treated with UA or vehicle.

Oxaliplatin is a key drug in chemotherapy of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, its efficacy is unsatisfied due to drug resistance of cancer cells. In this study, we tested whether a natural agent, ursolic acid, was able to enhance the efficacy of oxaliplatin for CRC.

Ursolic acid is an important bioactive triterpenoid that has been reported to be of tremendous pharmacological importance. However, the anticancer potential of ursolic acid has not been examined against metastatic melanoma cells. Therefore, in this study we examined the anticancer potential of ursolic acid and its mode of action.

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) results in severe sub-lesional muscle atrophy and fiber type transformation from slow oxidative to fast glycolytic, both contributing to functional deficits and maladaptive metabolic profiles. Therapeutic countermeasures have had limited success and muscle-related pathology remains a clinical priority.

Ursolic acid (UA), a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid, is a promising compound for cancer prevention and therapy. However, its mechanisms of action have not been well elucidated in colorectal cancer cells. Here, using cultured human colon cancer cell lines SW620 and HCT116, this assay demonstrates that UA reduces cell viability, inhibits cell clone formation, and induces caspase-3 mediated apoptosis.

Ursolic acid (UA) is a natural terpene compound exhibiting many pharmaceutical properties. In this review the current state of knowledge about the health-promoting properties of this widespread, biologically active compound, as well as information about its occurrence and biosynthesis are presented. 

In addition to the known antitumor effects of ursolic acid (UA), increasing evidence indicates that this molecule plays a role in cardiac protection. In this study, the effects of ursolic acid on the heart in mice treated with doxorubicin (DOX) were assessed. 

In this study, the effects of dietary UA on muscle mass and bone microstructure were investigated using a Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model of atrophy. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the potential of UA as a resistance exercise mimetic.

Skeletal muscle Akt activity stimulates muscle growth and imparts resistance to obesity, glucose intolerance and fatty liver disease. We recently found that ursolic acid increases skeletal muscle Akt activity and stimulates muscle growth in non-obese mice.