Ursolic acid and its derivatives with antitumor activity in berries of Vaccinium species

H. Schmandke, Nuthetal From highbush blueberries ursolic acid and 19-α-hydroxyursolic (pomolic) acid, and from cranberries (V. macrocarpon) the cis- and trans-isomers of 3-O-p-hydroxycinnamoyl ursolic acid have been isolated and identified. In in-vitro cytotoxicity tests, all compounds have been shown to inhibit the growth of human tumor cells. Antitumor activity decreases in the following order: Pomolic acid > cis-3-O-p-hydroxycinnamoyl ursolic acid > trans-3-O-p-hydroxycinnamoyl ursolic acid > ursolic acid. Pomolic acid acts specifically on uterine-cancer cells and melanoma, cis-3-O-p-hydroxycinnamoyl ursolic acid on breast-tumor cells and ursolic acid on lung-cancer and leukemia cell lines. In the traditional chinese medicine the fruit spikes of Prunella vulgares and in Peru bark and stem of Polylepis racemosa are used against cancer. Both plants contain pomolic and ursolic acid. Keywords: Ursolic acid / derivatives / antitumor activity / berries of Vaccinium species Sie finden den Artikel in deutscher Sprache in Ernährungs-Umschau 06/04 ab Seite 235.