title: An in vitro study of the role of β-boswellic acid in the microtubule assembly dynamics.
abstract: Structural integrity of microtubule protein (MTP) is pivotal for its physiological roles. Disruption of the MTP network is known to be involved in neurodegenerative disorders. The gum resin of plants of the boswellia species, with β-boswellic acid (BBA) as the major component, has long been used in Ayurveda and Oriental Medicine to prevent amnesia. In the current study, we addressed the question whether BBA affects assembly dynamics behavior of tubulin. Our in vitro results revealed that BBA increases MTP length distribution and the polymerization rate of tubulin, moderately stabilizing it and diminishing both the critical concentration (C(c)) and the fraction of inactive tubulin (F(i)).
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Oveis
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karima
authors.forename: Gholamhossein
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riazi
authors.forename: Sirus
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khodadadi
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yousefi
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mahnam
authors.forename: Farzad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mokhtari
authors.forename: Tayebe
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cheraghi
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hoveizi
authors.forename: Ali Akbar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Moosavi-Movahedi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029743:Boswellia / Q000737:chemistry; D002417:Cattle; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014315:Triterpenes; D014404:Tubulin; C054625:boswellic acid