Oleanolic acid inhibits colon cancer cell stemness and reverses chemoresistance by suppressing JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway

Background:Oleanolic acid(OA),a pentacyclic triterpenoid exhibiting specific anti-cancer properties and highly effective antioxidant activity,was isolated from traditional Chinese medicinal herbs.Conversely,the OA that impacts colon cancer(CC)cells and its underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.Methods:The cytotoxic effect of OA alone or OA-5-Fluorouracil(5-FU)combination on normal and CC cells was analyzed by methyl thiazolyl diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide(MTT).Then,the impact of OA on CC cell lines(LoVo and HT-29)proliferation and stemness were measured using colon formation and tumorsphere formation assays.Octamer-binding transcription factor 4(Oct4),Prominin-1(CD133),Nanog,and transcription factor SOX-2(SOX2)are cell stemness-related indicators whose expression was assessed usingfluorescence qPCR assay,Western blotting,and immunohistochemistry.The effect of OA on the proliferative potency of CC cells was evaluated using an in vivo model.Results:The stem-like characteristics and clone production of colon cancer cells were markedly reduced by OA alone or in combination with OA-5-FU.Moreover,OA increases the susceptibility of CC cells to 5-FU by blocking the cell stemness-related markers(CD133,Nanog,SOX2,and Oct4)expression levels both in vitro and in vivo,as well as by inactivating the activator of transcription 3(STAT3 signaling)and Janus kinase 2/signal transducer(JAK2).Conclusion:Thesefindings imply that oleanolic acid,both in vitro and in vivo,suppresses the JAK2/STAT3 pathway,which in turn reverses chemoresistance and decreases colon cancer cell stemness.Therefore,by reducing the recommended amount of 5-FU,this strategy may improve chemotherapeutic effectiveness and minimize undesired side effects.

The natural sources,extraction,and nephroprotective function of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid:a review

Oleanolic acid(OA)and ursolic acid(UA)are commonly present in the cuticular wax of many edible fruits and medicinal herbs.OA and UA belong to the group of bioactive pentacyclic triterpenoids,exhibiting a wide range of beneficial effects including protection for the kidneys,liver,heart,gastrointestinal tract,and spinal cord.Additionally,OA and UA exhibit antioxidant,anti-ferroptotic,anti-apoptotic,anti-inflammatory,anti-tumor,anti-viral,anti-diabetic,anti-microbial,anti-parasitic,analgesic,wound-healing,hypolipidemic,and hypoglycemic properties,often without notable side effects.Due to the extensive array of their positive functions,it is not feasible to thoroughly cover all aspects in this review.Therefore,the primary focus lies on reviewing the natural sources,extraction,and nephroprotective properties of OA and UA.To summarize,current literatures highlight the nephroprotective mechanisms of OA and UA,primarily involving inhibiting oxidative stress,endoplasmic reticulum stress,glycative stress,dyslipidemia,inflammation,apoptosis,pyroptosis,and renal fibrosis,promoting diuresis,as well as fine-tuning autophagy.

Preparation and Crystal Structure of 15α-Hydroxyl-oleanolic Acid

The compound 15α-hydroxyl-oleanolic acid was biotransformed from oleanolic acid with Colletotrichum lini AS3.4486,and its structure was characterized by 1H NMR,13C NMR,HR-ESI-MS and single-crystal X-ray diffraction.The crystal of the title compound belongs to monoclinic,space group R3 with a=34.255（5）,b=34.255（5）,c=6.8671（14）,β=90°,Z=9,V=6978（2）3,Mr=490.70,Dc=1.051 mg/m3,μ=0.069 mm-1,F（000）=2430,R=0.0375 and wR=0.0808.The title compound is stacked into a three-dimensional network through hydrogen bonds.

Oleanolic acid attenuates liver ischemia reper-fusion injury by HO-1/Sesn2 signaling pathway

BACKGROUND: Ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) is unavoid-able in liver transplantation and hepatectomy. The present study aimed to explore the possible mechanism and the effect of oleanolic acid (OA) in hepatic IRI. METHODS: Mice were randomly divided into 6 groups based on different treatment. IRI model: The hepatic artery, portal vein, and bile duct to the left and median liver lobes (70% of the liver) were occluded with an atraumatic bulldog clamp for 90 minutes and then the clamp was removed for reperfusion. The mice were sacriifced 6 hours after reperfusion, and blood and liver tissues were collected. Liver injury was evaluated by biochemical and histopathologic examinations. The expressions of Sesn2, PI3K, Akt and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were mea-sured with quantitative real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: The serum aminotransferases level and scores of he-patic histology were increased after reperfusion. The increase was attenuated by pretreatment with OA (P<0.01). Compared with the IR group, OA pretreatment signiifcantly up-regulated the expression of Sesn2, PI3K, Akt and HO-1 in IR livers (P<0.05). Administration of zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP), an inhibitor of HO-1, diminished the OA effect on HO-1 and Sesn2 expressions (P<0.05) and the protective effect of OA on IRI. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that OA can attenu-ate hepatic IRI. The protective mechanism may be related to the OA-induced HO-1/Sesn2 signaling pathway.

Hepatoprotective properties of oleanolic and ursolic acids in anti-tubercular drug-induced liver damage

Objective:To estimate to what extent the mixture of ursolic acid and oleanolic acid,in addition to the antitubercular standard regime,affects the hepatotoxicity profile.Methods:Liver injury was induced in male BALB/c mice by administering,per os and daily for 11 weeks,a combination of anti-Tubercular(anti-TB) agents Rifampicin(10 mg/kg),Isoniazid(10 mg/kg),and Pyrazinamide(30 mg/kg).The ursolic acid and oleanolic acid mixture at doses of 100 or 200 μg/mouse/day was subcutaneously injected throughout the entire study period(11 weeks).Biochemical and hematological analysis was supplemented by liver histological examination.Results:Animals treated with the mixture of triterpenic acids exhibited significantly decreased aspartate transaminase and alanine aminotransferase levels and amelioration of the histopathological alterations produced by the anti-TB drugs.Conclusions:The triterpene mixture is able to prevent the steatosis induced by the anti-TB drugs.

Prophylactic and therapeutic roles of oleanolic acid and its derivatives in several diseases

Oleanolic acid(OA)and its derivatives are widely found in diverse plants and are naturally effective pentacyclic triterpenoid compounds with broad prophylactic and therapeutic roles in various diseases such as ulcerative colitis,multiple sclerosis,metabolic disorders,diabetes,hepatitis and different cancers.This review assembles and presents the latest in vivo reports on the impacts of OA and OA derivatives from various plant sources and the biological mechanisms of OA activities.Thus,this review presents sufficient data proposing that OA and its derivatives are potential alternative and complementary therapies for the treatment and management of several diseases.

Application of hot melt extrusion to enhance the dissolution and oral bioavailability of oleanolic acid

The aim of this study was to improve the in vitro dissolution rate and oral bioavailability of oleanolic acid(OA), a water insoluble drug belonging to BCS class IV. Hot melt extrusion(HME) was applied to develop OA amorphous solid dispersions. The characterizations of the optimal formulation were performed by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and in vitro dissolution test.The in vivo pharmacokinetic study was conducted in rats. As a result, OA solid dispersion based on PVP VA 64(OA-PVP) was successfully prepared. In the dissolution medium containing 0.3% SDS, OA-PVP dramatically increased the releasing rate of OA compared with the physical mixture(PM-PVP) and commercial tablet. Furthermore, OA-PVP exhibited higher AUC(P < 0.05) and Cmax(P < 0.05) than PM-PVP and commercial tablet. The superior dissolution property and bioavailability of OA-PVP mainly attributed to the amorphous state of OA in PVP VA64 and the well dispersion caused by thermal melting and shearing. Overall, hot melt extrusion was an efficient strategy to enhance the dissolution rate and oral bioavailability of OA.

Preparation and characterization of solidified oleanolic acid–phospholipid complex aiming to improve the dissolution of oleanolic acid

The purpose of this study was to prepare the oleanolic acid–phospholipid complex (OAPC) and then solidify it employing fumed silica by simple solvent evaporation technique to improve dissolution rate of oleanolic acid and oleanolic acid–phospholipid complex. The process of OA-PC was optimized and the type and proportion of fumed silica were studied by dissolution text. The structures of the phospholipid complex and solidified powder were also characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscope. In the dissolution tests, OA from solidified powder was further released compared with that from pure OA and OA-PC in different kinds of dissolution media. These results suggest that the method of preparing solidified powder of oleanolic acid–phospholipid complex is suitable for enhancing the dissolution rate of OA and OA-PC.

Oleanolic acid:a promising neuroprotective agent for cerebral ischemia

Stroke is considered the most common and severely disabling neurological disease. It is one of the leading causes of death after heart disease and cancer, causing 10% deaths worldwide and involving risk factors such as smoking, obesity and nutritional disbalance. Disability affects 75% of stroke survivors through severe mental and/or physical impairment depending on the affected brain area （Go et al., 2014）.

Simultaneous determination of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid by RP-HPLC in the leaves of Eriobotrya japonica Lindl

Oleanolic acid(OA) and ursolic acid(UA) are isomeric triterpenic acids and only one methyl’s position is different between them.OA and UA always exist in the same plant,so it is difficult to separate them when determining contents by RP-HPLC.In this study,a very simple mobile phase for HPLC was developed to simultaneously determine UA and OA,and the factors affecting separation were also discussed.The mobile phase is methanol:water(95:5) with flow rate 0.4 mL/min.The retention time for OA and UA was 20.58 and 21.57 min,respectively,the resolution was 1.61.The average contents of OA and UA of three Loquat leaves sets were 1.4 mg/g and 5.6 mg/g,respectively.Regarding the HPLC,we found that changing mobile phase,adjusting the pH value or adding ion-pairing agent could not affect the separation between UA and OA greatly.While adjustment of the flow rate and column temperature could improve the resolution greatly.

TWO NEW OLEANOLIC ACID SAPONINS FROM ASTER YUNNANENSIS

Two new oleanolic acid saponins named asteryunnanoside F and G were isolated from the roots. of Aster yunnenensis. The chemical structures were determined as oleanolic acid-28-O-βD-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucO and 3-O-β-Dglucopyranosyl-oleanolic acid-28-O-βD-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)[-rhamn by speCtral data,especially 2D NMR anajysis (COSY, HETCOR, HOHAHA and ROESY), and Chemical transformations.

Research advances in phytochemistry,pharmacology and toxicology of oleanolic acid

Oleanolic acid(OA)is a pentacyclic triterpenoid chemical component that exists in natural plants with a molecular formula of C30H48O3 and a molecular weight at 456.71 g·mol-1.OA is widespread in traditional Chinese herbal medicine(Ligustri Lucidi Fructus,Achyranthis Bidentate Radix,Red Sage)and berries(blueberries,grapes).In recent years,because of the extensive pharmacological effects of OA,its advantages in disease treatment have become increasingly prominent and gradually attracted the attention of pharmaceutical researchers.OA has effective therapeutic effects on a series of chronic diseases such as inflammation,cancer,diabetes,and cardiovascular diseases through multiple signaling pathways and various targets.Especially in cancers,such as colorectal cancer,liver cancer,gastric cancer,lung cancer,breast cancer and other malignancies,OA presents substantial efficacy.However,its poor aqueous solubility,needy bioavailability,and unsatisfactory pharmacological activity excessively restrict its clinical application.More importantly,the improper utilization of OA can cause adverse reactions,toxic effects and even damage to organs in some specific situations.With the discovery of various pharmacological effects,the complex action mechanisms of OA,the continuous progress in structural modification of OA,as well as the synthesis of OA derivatives,its application is expanding gradually.Among numerous studies,there is a clear indication that OA and its derivatives,if fully developed,may provide an alternative and cheaper treatment for a variety of chronic diseases.However,the specific molecular mechanisms of OA and its derivatives as an alternative therapy and supplementary therapy for cancer,diabetes,cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases remain to be clarified.Therefore,it is necessary to further study the pharmacokinetics,pharmacological activity,specific targets and related mechanisms of OA to lay a solid foundation for drug development and the application of OA in clinical settings.

Host-guest interaction of β-cyclodextrin with isomeric ursolic acid and oleanolic acid:physicochemical characterization and molecular modeling study

Ursolic acid(UA) and oleanolic acid(OA) are insoluble drugs. The objective of this study was to encapsulate them into β-cyclodextrin(β-CD) and compare the solubility and intermolecular force of β-CD with the two isomeric triterpenic acids. The host-guest interaction was explored in liquid and solid state by ultraviolet-visible absorption,1H NMR, phase solubility analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffractometry, and molecular modeling studies. Both experimental and theoretical studies revealed that β-CD formed 1: 1 water soluble inclusion complexes and the complexation process was naturally favorable. In addition, the overall results suggested that ring E with a carboxyl group of the drug was encapsulated into the hydrophobic CD nanocavity. Therefore, a clear different inclusion behavior was observed, and UA exhibited better affinity to β-CD compared with OA in various media due to little steric interference, which was beneficial to form stable inclusion complex with β-CD and increase its water solubility effectively.

Polymeric nanoparticles developed by vitamin E-modified aliphatic polycarbonate polymer to promote oral absorption of oleanolic acid

Oleanolic acid (OA) exhibited good pharmacological activities in the clinical treatment of hypoglycemia, immune regulation, acute jaundice and chronic toxic hepatitis. However, the oral delivery of OA is greatly limited by its inferior water solubility and poor intestinal mucosa permeability. Herein, we developed a novel polymeric nanoparticle (NP) delivery system based on vitamin E modified aliphatic polycarbonate (mPEG-PCC-VE) to facilitate oral absorption of OA. OA encapsulated mPEG-PCC-VE NPs (OA/mPEG-PCC-VE NPs) showed uniform particle size of about 170 nm with high drug loading capability (8.9%). Furthermore, the polymeric mPEG-PCC-VE NPs, with good colloidal stability and pH-sensitive drug release characteristics, significantly enhanced the in vitro dissolution of OA in the alkaline medium. The in situ single pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) studies performed on rats demonstrated that the OA/m PEG-PCC-VE NPs showed significantly improved permeability in the whole intestinal tract when compared to OA solution, especially for duodenum and colon. As a result, the in vivo pharmacokinetics study indicated that the bioavailability of OA/m PEG-PCC-VE NPs showed 1.5-fold higher than commercially available OA tablets. These results suggest that mPEGPCC-VE NPs are a promising platform to facilitate the oral delivery of OA.

Oleanolic acid-induced apoptosis and its relation with intracellular calcium in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells

Objective To investigate the effect of oleanolic acid (OA) on apoptosis,correlation between apoptosis and intracellular calcium,and its mechanism in human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549. Methods Human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells were incubated in vitro and assigned with OA concentrations of 0,10,20 and 40μg/mL. The apoptosis status of A549 cell line was detected with Annexin V-FITC/PI by flow cytometry (FCM); fluorescence intensity (FI) of A549 cells was assessed and the level of intracellular calcium was calculated at 24 hour of OA intervention. The relation between apoptosis and calcium FI was illustrated by curve fitting. Results FCM showed that 10,20 and 40μg/mL of OA could induce A549 cell apoptosis,which followed a concentration-effect pattern; 24-hour intervention with 20μg/mL and 40μg/mL OA showed increased A549 cell apoptosis,and was significantly different from that with 0μg/mL OA (P<0.01). The FI of intracellular calcium concentration in 10,20 and 40μg/mL OA groups was significantly higher than that in 0μg/mL group after 24 hours’ intervention,and the FI showed a trend of increase with increased OA concentration (P<0.01). Curve fitting showed a significant correlation between apoptosis rate and intracellular calcium concentration in A549 cells (r=0.981,P<0.01). Regression equation was Y=0.508X-1.627. Conclusion OA plays a role in inducing apoptosis of human lung adenocarcinoma cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The OA-induced apoptosis is responsible for intracellular calcium overload of the tumor.

Determination of Oleanolic Acid in Achyranthes aspera L. of Different Production Areas by HPLC

[Objectives] To determine the content of oleanolic acid in 10 batches of Achyranthes aspera L. from different production areas,and to establish a high performance liquid chromatography( HPLC) method for the determination of oleanolic acid in A. aspera. [Methods]Agilent C18 liquid chromatography column( 250 mm × 4. 6 mm,5 μm) was used for gradient elution with acetonitrile∶ water = 61∶ 39 as the mobile phase. The flow rate was 1 mL/min,the detection wavelength was 210 nm,and the column temperature was 35℃. [Results] The oleanolic acid injection volume showed a good linear relationship with the peak area in the range of 0. 382-7. 640 μg. The linear equation of oleanolic acid was: A = 530. 76 C,R = 1. 000 0; the range of sample recovery rate was 96. 03%-102. 73%,and the RSD value was 2. 16%( n =9). The content of the oleanolic acid was the highest in A. aspera produced in Guilin City of Guangxi( 0. 92%),and the lowest oleanolic acid content was in sample of Sitang in Nanning City of Guangxi( 0. 27%). It is recommended that the oleanolic acid content of A. aspera should not be lower than 0. 20%. [Conclusions]The HPLC method is accurate,reliable,easy to operate,and has good resolution. It is suitable for the determination of the content of oleic acid in A. aspera. It can provide reference for the quality control and standard drafting of A. aspera.

Effect of MeJA and Light on the Accumulation of Betulin and Oleanolic Acid in the Saplings of White Birch (<i>Betula platyphylla</i>Suk.)

In this study, we investigated the effect of different types of light and MeJA treatment on the accumulation of betulin and oleanolic acid in various organs of white birch. Our results showed that betulin and oleanolic were accumulated mainly in the stalk skin. The content of both substances in the stalk skin was significantly affected by seasons with a peak accumulation in August. The content of oleanolic and betulin was significantly decreased in the stem skin treated with 4 types of light (red, yellow, blue and green) compared with the plant with normal illumination. In contrast, oleanolic acid in leaves was increased by 13.28 folds when the white birch was treated with green light. Betulin was increased by 1.959 folds in leaves of white birch treated with blue light. The highest content of betulin and oleanolic acid in various organs of birch with appropriate shading treatment (light transmittance: 50%) was increased by 45.09% and 30.50%, respectively, in comparison with those with non-shading treatment. Content of oleanolic acid and betulin can be significantly improved in various parts of birch after treatment with different concentration of MeJA. The study lays the foundation to metabolic regulation of oleanolic acid and betulin in birch.

S-adenosyl-L-methionine, trehalose and oleanolic acid in few plants

S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (AdoMet), S-Adenosyl- L-Homocysteine (AdoHcy), adenosine, trehalose and oleanolic acid were measured in six medicinal herbs and three spices. The findings showed that AdoMet content was forty six fold higher in the leaves of Catharanthus roseus as compared with average AdoMet content of rest of the plants. In comparison to other plants, Withania somnifera had very high AdoHcy: Ado-Met and adenosine: AdoMet ratios indicating it may have contained high AdoMet. Trehalose was found to be twenty fold and nine fold higher in bulb of Allium cepa and root of Withania somnifera respectively with respect to average trehalose content of rest of the plants. Ocimum sanctum appeared to be a rich source of oleanolic acid. It appeared from our study that Catharanthus roseus, Allium cepa and Ocimum sanctum could be utilized as natural sources of AdoMet, trehalose and oleanolic acid respectively.

HPLC Determination of Oleanolic Acid and Ursolic Acid in Chaenomeles cathayensis from Guizhou

[Objectives]This study was conducted to establish a method for determining the contents of Chaenomeles cathayensis(Hemsl.)Schneid.,and analyze the changes in effective components of C.cathayensis grown in Guizhou,so as to provide data support for the production and quality control of C.cathayensis.[Methods]The contents of ursolic acid and oleanolic acid in C.cathayensis in different areas of Guizhou were determined.The HPLC method was adopted under following conditions:chromatographic column waters C18 column(4.6 mm×150 mm,5.0μm);mobile phase:methanol-0.1 mol/L ammonium acetate(85∶15);column temperature:25℃;detection wavelength:257 nm;flow rate 1.0 ml/min.[Results]Through methodological investigations,HPLC could be used to detect the contents of the two terpenoids oleanolic acid and ursolic acid in C.cathayensis from Guizhou.The content of oleanolic acid ranged from 0.076%to 0.144%,and the content of ursolic acid ranged from 0.201%to 0.439%.[Conclusions]A method for determining the contents of C.cathayensis was established using the HPLC method with oleanolic acid and ursolic acid as the index components.The method is accurate,reliable,and simple and easy to implement,and can serve as a reference and support for quality evaluation and standard improvement of C.cathayensis.

Metals Complexes Formed with Oleanolic Acid

The oleanolic acid possesses diverse pharmacological properties, it is considered as a good starting material for creating new compounds. The oleanolic acid isolated of Plumeria obtusa leaves was used as raw material to obtained calcium, magnesium, zinc, nickel and copper complexes. The structures of complexes were confirmed by HRMS, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR. Five new compounds were synthesized to promote increased biological activity of oleanolic acid and PCR assays for the different type of cancer.