abstract
This review aims to provide an overview of the biogenetic origin of triterpenic acids (with particular emphasis on ursolic, oleanolic and betulinic acids), on the analytical extraction and hyphenated methodologies (mainly GC-MS) used on their identification and quantification, followed by an overview of the major sources of these components, indicating their potential large scale production pathways, with especial emphasis on abundant agroforestry biomass residues. The biological activity of ursolic, oleanolic and betulinic acids is described, focusing on their antitumoral potential as modulators of growth inhibitory signals, evasion of apoptosis and angiogenesis. The future perspectives towards improved therapeutic strategies using these triterpenic acids are also herein discussed.
keywords
BREAST-CANCER CELLS; PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY; SUPERCRITICAL-FLUID EXTRACTION; EUCALYPTUS-GLOBULUS BARK; MOLECULARLY-IMPRINTED POLYMERS; LIGHT-SCATTERING DETECTION; TETRA-CYCLIC TRITERPENES; POROUS GRAPHITIC CARBON; LIGUSTRUM-LUCIDUM AIT; ANTI-HIV ACTIVITY
subject category
Chemistry
authors
Domingues, RMA; Guerra, AR; Duarte, M; Freire, CSR; Neto, CP; Silva, CMS; Silvestre, AJD
our authors
Armando Jorge Domingues Silvestre
Full professor
Carlos Manuel Silva
Associate Professor
Carlos Pascoal Neto
Raiz Director
Carmen Sofia da Rocha Freire Barros
Coordinating Researcher
acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge the 7th Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013, for funding project AFORE: Forest biorefineries: Added-value from chemicals and polymers by new integrated separation, fractionation and upgrading technologies (CP-IP 228589-2) to the BIIPP project (QREN 11551) for the awarding of a PhD grant to R. D. and to FCT for funding CICECO (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-037270 Pest-C/CTM/LA0011/2011) the research project NeucBark (PTDC/AGR-FOR-3187/2012), and for a PhD grant to A. G. (SFRH/BD/98635/2013).