Triterpenes as Potentially Cytotoxic Compounds

Abstract

Triterpenes are compounds of natural origin, which have numerously biological activities: anti-cancer properties, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. These substances can be isolated from plants, animals or fungi. Nowadays, when neoplasms are main cause of death, triterpenes can become an alternative method for treating cancer because of their cytotoxic properties and chemopreventive activities.

In vitro callus induction and micropropagation of Thymus persicus (Lamiaceae), an endangered medicinal plant

“…betulinic acid (BA), oleanolic acid (OA) and ursolic acid (UA) derived from a squalene precursor (Bakhtiar et al 2014). BA, OA and UA are highly valuable compounds because of their wide spectrum of biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antitumor, anti-HIV, antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-ulcer, gastroprotective, hypoglycemic, and antihyperlipidemic (Liu et al 2012, Chudzik et al 2015). …”

Pentacyclic triterpenes from leaves of Cagaita (Eugenia dysenterica)

“…Previously results suggested this kind of metabolites as potentially cytotoxic toward in neoplastic cells with promising results in the treatment of melanoma, glioma, laryngeal cancer, ovarian carcinoma, colon adenocarcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma, cervical carcinoma, epithelial carcinoma, prostate cancer, , hepatic cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, colon cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, leukemia and neuroma (Chudzik et al, 2015;Drag et al, 2009;Gnoatto et al, 2008;Kaweetripob et al, 2013;Vazquez et al, 2012).…”

Cytotoxic Triterpenes and Sterols from Pipturus arborescens (Link) C.B. Rob.

“…The preventive and therapeutic effects of squalene-containing compounds on tumor promotion and regression have been reported (Desai et al, 1996). Recent reviews on the bioactivities of squalene have been provided (Ronco and De Stéfani, 2013;Chudzik et al, 2015). Thus, 1 was reported to exhibit cytotoxic properties against colon and breast cancer cell lines which corroborate our findings that 1 showed high cytotoxicity against colon cancer cells HCT-116 and breast cancer cells MCF-7, with IC 50 values of 4.21 and 5.92 μg/mL, respectively.…”