Topical anti-inflammatory activity of 2alpha-hydroxy pentacyclic triterpene acids from the leaves of Ugni molinae.
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.
Aguirre
María C
MC
Laboratory of Natural Products, Department of Pharmacological and Toxicological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 1. mcaguirr@ciq.uchile.cl
Delporte
Carla
C
Backhouse
Nadine
N
Erazo
Silvia
S
Letelier
María Eugenia
ME
Cassels
Bruce K
BK
Silva
Ximena
X
Alegría
Sergio
S
Negrete
Rosa
R
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D027822:Myrtaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D010032:Otitis Externa / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000094062:Betulinic Acid
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014315:Triterpenes; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; C017032:asiatic acid; C113861:corosolic acid; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; C012655:nimesulide; D007213:Indomethacin; D000094062:Betulinic Acid