Ursolic acid and mechanisms of actions on adipose and muscle tissue: a systematic review

Abstract

This systematic review aimed at addressing the ursolic acid actions as an adjunctive treatment of the obesity-mediated metabolic abnormalities. To explore our aims, we used the literature search including clinical and animal studies using the Medline and Google Scholar (up to December 2015). Out of 63 screened studies, 17 presented eligibility criteria, such as the use of ursolic acid on adiposity, energy expenditure and skeletal muscle mass in mice and humans. In the literature, we found that several physiological and molecular mechanisms are implicated in the effects of ursolic acid on obesity, energy expenditure, hepatic steatosis, skeletal muscle mass loss and physical fitness, such as (1) increase of thermogenesis by modulation adipocyte transcription factors, activation of 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and overexpression of the uncoupling protein 1 thermogenic marker; (2) enhancement of skeletal muscle mass by activation in bloodstream growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 concentrations secretion, as well as in the activation of mammalian target of rapamycin and inhibition of ring-finger protein-1; and (3) improvement of physical fitness by skeletal muscle proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator alpha and sirtuin 1 expression. Therefore, supplementation with ursolic acid may be an adjunctive therapy for prevention and treatment of obesity-mediated and muscle mass-mediated metabolic consequences.

WITHDRAWN: Sambucus Ebulus Fruits Extract Ameliorates Eosinophilic Nasal Polyposis: An in vitro Study

“…The results of the GC-MS technique in this study showed that 20.9% of the metanolic extract of SEs contained a natural pentacyclic trisperpenic acid (ursolic acid). Ursolic acid is commonly found in various parts of medicinal plants including leaves, owers, and fruits and has proven properties such as antiin ammatory, antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties [29]. Ursolic acid has been reported to inhibit the in ammatory factors TNF-α and IL6, LOX-1, VCAM-1, ICAM, IL5, IL13 and IL17 [30].…”

Ursolic acid elicits intrinsic apoptotic machinery by downregulating the phosphorylation of AKT/BAD signaling in human cisplatin‑resistant oral cancer CAR cells

“…Ursolic acid is a potent phytochemical and its use is popular in natural medicinal plants (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21). It has been reported that ursolic acid has anticancer effects on chemoresistant cells.…”

“…The molecular weight of ursolic acid is 456.68 g/mole, and is a white powder that was first identified from the epicuticular wax of apples in 1920 (15). Ursolic acid is usually found in leaves, stem bark and fruit peel, and is present largely in specific plants and dietary foods, including basil, apples, peppermint, cranberries, rosemary, lavender, thyme, hawthorn, oregano, prunes, bilberries and elderflower (16)(17)(18). Ursolic acid has been used for its health-promoting activities via the composition of herb extracts applied in popular medicines for centuries (19)(20)(21).…”

Ácido Ursólico y Composición Corporal

“…Polycyclic triterpenes are metabolites of vegetable origin that have 30 carbon atoms in their structure, constituted by six units of isoprene, these metabolites can be found in their free state or in the form of glucoside 3 of which are distinguished by ursolic acid by its numerous pharmacological and therapeutic properties, known as urson, prunol, micromerol and malol (acid (3B) -3-hydroxy-urs-12-en-28-oico), 5 present in different plants, such as barks, stems, leaves or peels fruit, 6 formed from two molecules of acetyl CoA, its synthesis is divided into three phases, 9,10 ursolic acid has been closely related to the body substance that has an effect on the percentage of fat mass and muscle mass .…”