Comprehensive Review on Betulin as a Potent Anticancer Agent
Numerous plant-derived substances, and their derivatives, are effective antitumour and chemopreventive agents. Yet, there are also a plethora of tumour types that do not respond, or become resistant, to these natural substances. This requires the discovery of new active compounds. Betulin (BE) is a...
Main Authors: | , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Hindawi Limited
2015-01-01
|
Series: | BioMed Research International |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/584189 |
id |
doaj-6eda42e3b8b84508abba8cb95e90afe6 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-6eda42e3b8b84508abba8cb95e90afe62020-11-25T00:53:38ZengHindawi LimitedBioMed Research International2314-61332314-61412015-01-01201510.1155/2015/584189584189Comprehensive Review on Betulin as a Potent Anticancer AgentSylwia Katarzyna Król0Michał Kiełbus1Adolfo Rivero-Müller2Andrzej Stepulak3The Chair and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University, 20-093 Lublin, PolandThe Chair and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University, 20-093 Lublin, PolandThe Chair and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University, 20-093 Lublin, PolandThe Chair and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University, 20-093 Lublin, PolandNumerous plant-derived substances, and their derivatives, are effective antitumour and chemopreventive agents. Yet, there are also a plethora of tumour types that do not respond, or become resistant, to these natural substances. This requires the discovery of new active compounds. Betulin (BE) is a pentacyclic triterpene and secondary metabolite of plants abundantly found in the outer bark of the birch tree Betulaceae sp. BE displays a broad spectrum of biological and pharmacological properties, among which the anticancer and chemopreventive activity attract most of the attention. In this vein, BE and its natural and synthetic derivatives act specifically on cancer cells with low cytotoxicity towards normal cells. Although the antineoplastic mechanism of action of BE is not well understood yet, several interesting aspects of BE’s interactions are coming to light. This review will summarize the anticancer and chemopreventive potential of BE in vitro and in vivo by carefully dissecting and comparing the doses and tumour lines used in previous studies, as well as focusing on mechanisms underlying its activity at cellular and molecular level, and discuss future prospects.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/584189 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Sylwia Katarzyna Król Michał Kiełbus Adolfo Rivero-Müller Andrzej Stepulak |
spellingShingle |
Sylwia Katarzyna Król Michał Kiełbus Adolfo Rivero-Müller Andrzej Stepulak Comprehensive Review on Betulin as a Potent Anticancer Agent BioMed Research International |
author_facet |
Sylwia Katarzyna Król Michał Kiełbus Adolfo Rivero-Müller Andrzej Stepulak |
author_sort |
Sylwia Katarzyna Król |
title |
Comprehensive Review on Betulin as a Potent Anticancer Agent |
title_short |
Comprehensive Review on Betulin as a Potent Anticancer Agent |
title_full |
Comprehensive Review on Betulin as a Potent Anticancer Agent |
title_fullStr |
Comprehensive Review on Betulin as a Potent Anticancer Agent |
title_full_unstemmed |
Comprehensive Review on Betulin as a Potent Anticancer Agent |
title_sort |
comprehensive review on betulin as a potent anticancer agent |
publisher |
Hindawi Limited |
series |
BioMed Research International |
issn |
2314-6133 2314-6141 |
publishDate |
2015-01-01 |
description |
Numerous plant-derived substances, and their derivatives, are effective antitumour and chemopreventive agents. Yet, there are also a plethora of tumour types that do not respond, or become resistant, to these natural substances. This requires the discovery of new active compounds. Betulin (BE) is a pentacyclic triterpene and secondary metabolite of plants abundantly found in the outer bark of the birch tree Betulaceae sp. BE displays a broad spectrum of biological and pharmacological properties, among which the anticancer and chemopreventive activity attract most of the attention. In this vein, BE and its natural and synthetic derivatives act specifically on cancer cells with low cytotoxicity towards normal cells. Although the antineoplastic mechanism of action of BE is not well understood yet, several interesting aspects of BE’s interactions are coming to light. This review will summarize the anticancer and chemopreventive potential of BE in vitro and in vivo by carefully dissecting and comparing the doses and tumour lines used in previous studies, as well as focusing on mechanisms underlying its activity at cellular and molecular level, and discuss future prospects. |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/584189 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT sylwiakatarzynakrol comprehensivereviewonbetulinasapotentanticanceragent AT michałkiełbus comprehensivereviewonbetulinasapotentanticanceragent AT adolforiveromuller comprehensivereviewonbetulinasapotentanticanceragent AT andrzejstepulak comprehensivereviewonbetulinasapotentanticanceragent |
_version_ |
1725237377822097408 |