title: Triterpenoid α-amyrin stimulates proliferation of human keratinocytes but does not protect them against UVB damage.
abstract: Rhaponticum carthamoides plants ("maral root") are widely used in Siberian folk medicine.  The present study reports for the first time the presence of pentacyclic terpenoid, α-amyrin, in methanol extract from leaves of this plant. α-Amyrin induced proliferation of human keratinocytes (HaCaT) by about 18% while other extract components were ineffective. A panel of biochemical and cell-based assays testing the antioxidative and cytoprotective activites of α-amyrin indicated no antioxidative activity of this compound. α-Amyrin did not protect HaCaT cells against the damage caused by UVB radiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. edyta.biskup@gmail.com
authors.forename: Edyta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Biskup
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gołębiowski
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gniadecki
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stepnowski
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Łojkowska
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D043843:Leuzea / Q000737:chemistry; D009828:Oleanolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D009828:Oleanolic Acid; C036380:beta-amyrin