Ursolic acid derivatives from Bangladeshi medicinal plant, Saurauja roxburghii: Isolation and cytotoxic activity against A431 and C6 glioma cell lines

Ursene-type pentacyclic triterpenes, including the ursolic acid, corosolic acid, and a new ursene-type pentacyclic triterpene, 7,24-dihydroxy ursolic acid, were isolated from the methanolic extract of the leaves of the Bangladeshi medicinal plant, Saurauja roxburghii, a higher plant indigenous to South East Asia and some part of North America. They were tested for the cytotoxicity against C6 rat glioma and A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cell lines. Although they have the same ursene-type pentacyclic triterpene core structure, the position and numbers of hydroxyl groups on the terpene structure significantly affected the activity and the selectivity to the cell lines.

Graphical abstractUrsene-type pentacyclic triterpenes, including new 7,24-dihydroxy ursolic acid, were isolated from Saurauja roxburghii, Bangladeshi medicinal plant. Oxidation state of terpene structure affected cytotoxicity against tumor cells.Download full-size imageHighlights► Natural products from Bangladeshi medicinal plant were investigated. ► Saurauja roxburghii contains ursene-type pentacyclic triterpenes. ► New 7,24-dihydroxy ursolic acid were isolated. ► Oxidation state of terpene structure affected cytotoxicity against tumor cells.