title: Ursolic acid (UA): A metabolite with promising therapeutic potential.
abstract: Plants are known to produce a variety of bioactive metabolites which are being used to cure various life threatening and chronic diseases. The molecular mechanism of action of such bioactive molecules, may open up new avenues for the scientific community to develop or improve novel therapeutic approaches to tackle dreadful diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders. Ursolic acid (UA) is one among the categories of such plant-based therapeutic metabolites having multiple intracellular and extracellular targets that play role in apoptosis, metastasis, angiogenesis and inflammatory processes. Moreover, the synthetic derivatives of UA have also been seen to be involved in a range of pharmacological applications, which are associated with prevention of diseases. Evidences suggest that UA could be used as a potential candidate to develop a comprehensive competent strategy towards the treatment and prevention of health disorders. The review article herein describes the possible therapeutic effects of UA along with putative mechanism of action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, Punjab 160012, India.
authors.forename: Dharambir
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kashyap
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Mullana, Ambala, Haryana 133207, India. Electronic address: hardeep.biotech@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hardeep Singh
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Tuli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Mullana, Ambala, Haryana 133207, India.
authors.forename: Anil K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000097245:Ursolic Acid
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D014315:Triterpenes; D000097245:Ursolic Acid
keywords: Anti-inflammatory; Anti-metastasis; Anti-oxidant; Apoptosis; Derivatives; Ursolic acid