ursolic acid Herb
Source Leaf of Glossy
Privet ursolic acid Synonyms
Ligustrum lucidum Ait ursolic acid Molecular Formula and Molecular
Weight
C*0H*8O3?**6.*8 ursolic acid Description
Ursolic acid, a carboxylic acid present in a wide variety of plants
in the form of a free acid or an aglycone of triterpene saponins.It
is also known as urson, prunol, micromerol, and malol, is a
pentacyclic triterpenoid compound which naturally occurs in a large
number of vegetarian foods, medicinal herbs, and plants1,2. For a
long time, it was considered to be pharmacologically inactive3.
Thus, ursolic acid and its alkali salts (e.g. potassium or sodium
ursolates) were exclusively used as emulsifying agents in
pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food preparations3,4. However, upon
closer examination, ursolic acid was found to be medicinally active
both topically and internally1. Its anti-inflammatory, antitumor
(skin cancer), and antimicrobial properties make it useful in
cosmetic applications1.
Ursolic acid [(3b)**-Hydroxyurs***-en***-oic acid] rarely occurs
without its isomer oleanolic acid [(3b)**-Hydroxyolean***-en***-oic
acid]. They may occur in their free acid form, as shown in Figure
1, or as aglycones for triterpenoid saponins which are comprised of
a triterpenoid aglycone linked to one or more sugar moieties.
Ursolic and oleanolic acids are similar in pharmacological
activity1. Several ursolic acid derivatives, both natural and
synthetic, have been reported. Novel ursolic acid derivatives,
including ursane-type triterpenoid saponins, naturally occur as
secondary metabolites through complex metabolic processes in
different parts of the plant5,***2 Synthetic derivatives obtained
from ursolic acid have been reported and evaluated for their
pharmacological action3,****6.
Medicinal plants containing ursolic acid have been used in folk
medicine before it was known which constituents were responsible
for their therapeutic effectiveness. Contemporary scientific
research which led to the isolation and identification of ursolic
acid revealed and confirmed that several pharmacological effects,
such as antitumor, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory (oral and
topical), antiulcer, antimicrobial, anti-hyperlipidemic, and
antiviral, can be attributed to ursolic acid1. However, its
anti-inflammatory (topical), antitumor (skin cancer), and
antimicrobial properties are pertinent to the cosmetic
industry.
Ursolic acid is a potent anti-inflammatory agent. Thus, it has been
recommended for use in burn ointments4. It not only inhibits human
leukocyte elastase (HLE), but also *-lipoxygenase and
cyclooxygenase activity*1,*2. Ursolic acid (1.0 mg/ear) inhibited
TPA-induced mouse ear edema by *2.4%*3. Hirota and coworkers*4
determined that **0 µg and *0 µg applications of ursolic acid
inhibited **-O-hexadecanoyl - *6 - hydroxyphorbol ***-acetate
(HPPA)-induced inflammation by *9% and *3%, respectively. In
addition, it inhibited concanavalin A (Con A) induced histamine
release, which can cause severe inflammation, by *5% at a
concentration of 0.**1 M*5.
Ursolic acid treatment improves the health of skin and hair.
Ursolic acid and its derivatives form oil-resistant barriers on the
skin and hair as they do in the waxy coating of fruits6. Ursolic
acid has been used to treat photoaged skin because it prevents and
improves the appearance of wrinkles and age spots by restoring the
skin’s collagen bundle structures and its elasticity*1.
Concentrations of ursolic acid ranging from 0.*1 to *0 mg have been
reported for inclusion in skin treatment
preparations****3.
