Lupeol

Lupeol, a secondary plant compound, a natural triterpenoid (molecular formula: C30H50O), is a colorless, alcoholic solid. Lupeol is almost insoluble in water, but soluble in warm ethanol. Lupeol is widely used in edible fruits and vegetables and in various medicinal plants. Medicinal plants . In the last decade, a large number of studies have been conducted on the pharmacological activities of lupeol, which have shown that lupeol possesses a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities (Liu K et al. 2021)

Biosynthesis: Lupeol is ultimately formed from acetyl-CoA via the intermediate squalene. Chemical synthesis is also possible. Lupeol belongs to the pentacyclic triterpenes and to the subgroup of lupanes. It belongs to the alcohols (see also cycloalkanols) and the alkenes. Lupeol is of interest to medical researchers as a potentially readily available antimalarial and anticancer agent with low toxicity.

Lupeole shows in vitro antiprotozoal activity against Plasmodium falciparum. Furthermore, Lupeole exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. Recently, the effect of Lupeol in the treatment of facial acne has been propagated (Kwon HH et al. 2015).

Growth inhibition of tumor cells has also been observed (Zhang X et al. 2022). Various mechanisms of action have been demonstrated. Research is being conducted to determine in which cases lupeol is suitable as an adjuvant therapeutic agent (Sohag AAM et al. 2022). Furthermore, lupeol has an antimicrobial effect.

Lupeol was discovered by Ernst Schulze in the seeds of yellow lupins and first described in 1891. Gilbert Stork published a total synthesis of lupeol in 1971.

1. Gallo M et al. (2009) Biological Activities of Lupeol. International Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences 3 (Special Issue 1) 46-66.
2. Gilbert Stork et al (1971) Total synthesis of lupeol. Journal of the American Chemical Society 93: 4945-4947.
3. Cháirez-Ramírez MH et al. (2016) Lupane-type triterpenes and their anti-cancer activities against most common malignant tumors: A review. In: test magazine 15 doi:10.17179
4. Kwon HH et al. (2015) Activity-guided purification identifies lupeol, a pentacyclic triterpene, as a therapeutic agent multiple pathogenic factors of acne. J Invest Dermatol. 135:1491-1500.
5. Liu K et al. (2021)Lupeol and its derivatives as anticancer and anti-inflammatory agents: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic efficacy. Pharmacol Res 164:105373.
6. Sohag AAM et al. (2022) Molecular pharmacology and therapeutic advances of the pentacyclic triterpene lupeol. Phytomedicine 99:154012.
7. Zhang X et al. (2022) Lupeol inhibits the proliferation and migration of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells via a novel crosstalk mechanism between autophagy and the EMT. Food Funct 13:4967-4976.