Topical anti-inflammatory activity of 2alpha-hydroxy pentacyclic triterpene acids from the leaves of Ugni molinae

Bioorg Med Chem. 2006 Aug 15;14(16):5673-7. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2006.04.021. Epub 2006 May 11.

Abstract

Leaf extracts of Ugni molinae Turcz. are used in the Chilean cosmetic industry on the assumption that they have decongestant, regenerative, and anti-aging properties. A bioassay-guided fractionation of this plant material showed that some extracts have potent anti-inflammatory activities. Further fractionation led to the isolation and identification of betulinic acid, a mixture of ursolic and oleanolic acids, and the 2alpha-hydroxy derivatives alphitolic, asiatic, and corosolic acids. The latter three were evaluated in vivo in the mouse ear assay for their topical anti-inflammatory activity, inducing inflammation with either arachidonic acid (AA) or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13 acetate (TPA). Only corosolic acid was active in the AA assay, with similar potency to nimesulide, but all three triterpene acids inhibited TPA-induced inflammation with potencies comparable to that of indomethacin.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology*
  • Arachidonic Acid
  • Betulinic Acid
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Indomethacin / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Myrtaceae / chemistry*
  • Otitis Externa / chemically induced
  • Otitis Externa / drug therapy*
  • Pentacyclic Triterpenes
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry*
  • Polycyclic Compounds / isolation & purification
  • Sulfonamides / pharmacology
  • Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate
  • Triterpenes / isolation & purification
  • Triterpenes / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Pentacyclic Triterpenes
  • Polycyclic Compounds
  • Sulfonamides
  • Triterpenes
  • Arachidonic Acid
  • asiatic acid
  • corosolic acid
  • Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate
  • nimesulide
  • Indomethacin
  • Betulinic Acid