Oleanolic acid or oleanic acid is a naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpenoid related to betulinic acid. It is widely distributed in food and plants where it exists as a free acid or as an aglycone of triterpenoid saponins.
Oleanolic acid can be found in olive oil, Phytolacca americana (American pokeweed), and Syzygium spp, garlic, etc. It was first studied and isolated from several plants, including Olea europaea (leaves, fruit), Rosa woodsii (leaves), Prosopis glandulosa (leaves and twigs), Phoradendron juniperinum (whole plant), Syzygium claviflorum (leaves), Hyptis capitata (whole plant), Mirabilis jalapa[4] and Ternstroemia gymnanthera (aerial part). Other Syzygium species including java apple (Syzygium samarangense) and rose apples contain it.
1. Reduce liver damage: oleanolic acid as a pentacyclic triterpenoids, CCl4-induced acute and chronic liver injury in rats have a significant protective effect. After treatment, the enlarged mitochondria and dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum were restored. Liver cells can also be acute and chronic liver damage caused by balloon degeneration, necrosis and inflammatory response was significantly reduced. Liver triglyceride accumulation decreased, increased glycogen content.
2. Lower serum alanine aminotransferase activity: oleanolic acid on acute, chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis animals were significantly decreased enzyme.
3. Reduce serum r-globulin, and histological observation of the liver is consistent with the reduction of inflammatory response.
4. Promote the regeneration of liver cells: oleanolic acid can promote the number of rat liver residual mitotic phase was significantly increased, the regeneration of higher than the control group, suggesting a role in promoting cell regeneration.
5. Inhibition of hepatic fibrosis: Oleanolic acid treatment of liver fibrosis in rats, severe and significantly reduced hepatic fibrosis, liver collagen content decreased, suggesting that the role of prevention and treatment of cirrhosis.
6. Chromosome damage has a protective effect on the prevention of experimental atherosclerosis, but also correct protein metabolism disorders.
