Oleanonic acid, a 3-oxotriterpene from Pistacia, inhibits leukotriene synthesis and has anti-inflammatory activity

• Published in: European journal of pharmacology Vol. 428; no. 1; pp. 137 - 143
• Main Authors: Giner-Larza, Eva M, Máñez, Salvador, Recio, M.Carmen, Giner, Rosa M, Prieto, José M, Cerdá-Nicolás, Miguel, Rı́os, J.Luis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 28.09.2001; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - chemistry; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Platelets - drug effects; Blood Platelets - enzymology; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors - pharmacology; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Ear, External - pathology; Edema - chemically induced; Edema - prevention & control; Female; Foot - pathology; General pharmacology; Humans; Hypersensitivity, Delayed - prevention & control; In Vitro Techniques; Inflammation; Inflammation - chemically induced; Inflammation - pathology; Inflammation - prevention & control; Leukotriene; Leukotriene B4 - biosynthesis; Leukotrienes - biosynthesis; Medical sciences; Mice; Neutrophils - drug effects; Neutrophils - metabolism; Oleanolic Acid - chemistry; Oleanolic Acid - pharmacology; Oleanonic acid; Oxidation-Reduction; Peroxidase - metabolism; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pistacia - chemistry; Pistacia terebinthus; Rats; Skin; Structure-Activity Relationship; Tetrazolium Salts; Thiazoles; Triterpenes - chemistry; Triterpenes - pharmacology; Triterpenoid; Leukotriene; Inflammation; Skin; Pistacia terebinthus; Triterpenoid; Oleanonic acid; Intraperitoneal administration; Esterases; Medicinal plant; Structure activity relation; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase; Mechanism of action; Anacardiaceae; Enzyme; Pharmacognosy; Rodentia; Antiinflammatory agent; Enzyme inhibitor; Phospholipase A; Pistacia; Biological activity; Carboxylic ester hydrolases; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Animal; Plant origin; Triterpene; Hydrolases; Spermatophyta; Oxidoreductases
• ISSN: 0014-2999; 1879-0712
• DOI: 10.1016/S0014-2999(01)01290-0

One of the best known bioactive triterpenoids is oleanolic acid, a widespread 3-hydroxy-17-carboxy oleanane-type compound. In order to determine whether further oxidation of carbon 3 affects anti-inflammatory activity in mice, different tests were carried out on oleanolic acid and its 3-oxo-analogue oleanonic acid, which was obtained from Pistacia terebinthus galls. The last one showed activity on the ear oedema induced by 12-deoxyphorbol-13-phenylacetate (DPP), the dermatitis induced by multiple applications of 12- O-tetradecanoyl-13-acetate (TPA) and the paw oedemas induced by bradykinin and phospholipase A 2. The production of leukotriene B 4 from rat peritoneal leukocytes was reduced by oleanonic acid with an IC 50 of 17 μM. Negligible differences were observed in the response of both triterpenes to DPP, bradykinin, and phospholipase A 2, while oleanonic acid was more active on the dermatitis by TPA and on the in vitro leukotriene formation. In conclusion, the presence of a ketone at C-3 implies an increase in the inhibitory effects on models related to 5-lipoxygenase activity and on associated in vivo inflammatory processes.