resumo
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.
palavras-chave
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
categoria
Chemistry
autores
Domingues, RMA; Guerra, AR; Duarte, M; Freire, CSR; Neto, CP; Silva, CMS; Silvestre, AJD
nossos autores
Armando Jorge Domingues Silvestre
Professor Catedrático
Carlos Manuel Silva
Professor associado
Carlos Pascoal Neto
Diretor do Raiz
Carmen Sofia da Rocha Freire Barros
Investigador Coordenador
agradecimentos
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).