The natural product oleanolic acid (OA: 3b-hydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid compound. It has been extracted from many species, including Olea europaea. Studies on biological activity have shown that OA has a liver-protective effect, and has been listed as a liver-protective drug in China. OA also has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-hyperglycemia, anti-hyperlipidemia, cardioprotective, anti-atherosclerotic, and some other pharmacological effects.
Experimental Models | Dose of OA | Signaling Pathways | Pharmacologic Action | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Obesity | ||||
3T3-L1 cells | 1 to 25 μM/L OA for 6 days | ↓PPARγ, ↓C/EBPα, ↓adiponectin |
↓Lipid accumulation | [4] |
Female C57BL/6J mice induced by high-fat diet (HFD) | OA in water feeders at 0.005% for 16 weeks | ↑↑CD36, ↑PPARα, ↑↑SREBP1, ↓↓FAS |
↓↓Adipose tissue weights, ↓↓↓TG |
[5] |
HFD-induced C57BL6/J male mice | 300 mg/kg OA for 10 weeks | ↓PPARα, ↓↓CPT1A, ↓SERBP1, ↑↑UCP1 |
↓↓TC, ↓↓LDL, ↑↑HDL, ↓VLDL |
[6] |
HFD-induced male Swiss mice | 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg OA for 7 days | ↑Blood glucose tolerance | ↓Plasma lipids, ↓blood glucose |
[7] |
3T3-L1 cells | 3 μg/mL OA for 16 days | ↓ACC, ↑CYP11A1, ↑↑CYP17, ↑↑CYP19, ↓↓CYP1A1 |
↓↓Fat production, ↑estrogen homeostasis |
[8] |
C57BL/6J mice were fed with HFD | 25 and 50 mg/kg OA for 4 weeks | ↓↓↓ROS, ↓NLRP3 |
↓↓↓Adipose tissue hypertrophy | [13] |
3T3-L1 cells | 1 to 25 μM OA for 2 days | ↓STAT1/3, ↓Tyk2, ↑SOCS3, ↓resistin |
↓Adipogenesis | [15] |
Polychlorinated biphenyls-induced male C57B6/J mice | 50 mg/kg OA for 10 weeks | ↑HNF1b, ↓ROS, ↓NOX4, ↑SOD1/2, ↑GPx1 |
↓TG, ↓TC, ↓FFAs, ↓adipocyte size |
[17] |
Hyperlipidemia | ||||
HFD-male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats | 50 mg/kg OA for 4 weeks | ↓↓Levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, ↓↓glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, ↓↓Srebf1 |
↓TG, ↓TC, ↓phospholipid |
[19] |
Human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells and typical western-diet-induced male Lakeview Golden Syrian hamsters | 50 μg OA in vitro; 0.01% OA for 4 weeks in vivo | ↓Enzyme cholesterol acyltransferase activity | ↓VLDL, ↓LDL, ↓TC |
[20] |
Male C57BL/6 mice were fed HFD | 20 mg/kg for 4 weeks | ↓↓PGC-1β | ↓↓TG, ↓↓TC, ↓↓LDL-c |
[22] |
Patients with hyperlipidemia | OA 4 tablets once, three times a day for 4 weeks | ↑↑↑CACNA1B, ↓FCN, ↑STEAP3, ↑AMPH, ↑NR6A1 |
↓TC, ↓TG, ↓HDL-c |
[23] |
Hypertension | ||||
Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) | 10−7 to 10−4 M OA | ↑NO | ↑↑↑Vasorelaxation | [25] |
Male Wistar and Dahl salt-sensitive rats induced by a high-salt Na+ diet | 160 μM OA | ↑NO, ↓COX |
↑↑↑Relaxation in aortic rings | [27] |
Dexamethasone-induced male Wistar rats | 60 mg/kg for 5 days | ↑Plasma nitrate/nitrite, ↑NO |
↓↓Systolic pressure | [28] |
HFD-induced Wistar Kyoto rats and SHR | 800 parts per million OA for 12 weeks | ↑eNOS | ↑↑↑Relaxation aorta | [29] |
Male Wistar Kyoto rats, and HFD-induced SHR | 800 parts per million OA for 12 weeks | ↑NO/EDHF | ↓↓Endothelial dysfunction | [30] |
Male SD rats induced by two-kidney, one-clip hypertensive | 20 and 30 mg/kg/day OA for 7 days | ↓↓Renin activity, ↓↓angiotensin II type-1/2 receptor, ↓aldosterone, ↑↑↑ANP |
↑↑↑Glomerular filtration rate, ↑↑↑electrolyte excretion, ↑↑↑urinary volume, ↓↓↓arterial blood pressure |
[32] |
Isoproterenol-induced male SD rats | 10, 20, or 30 mg/kg/day OA for 2 weeks | ↑↑↑ANP | ↓Atrial pressure, ↓pulse pressure |
[33] |
Glucocorticoid-induced male Wistar rats | 60 mg/kg/day OA for 4 weeks | ↑↑Urine volume, ↑↑urine sodium, ↑potassium |
↓↓↓Blood pressure | [34] |
Dahl salt-sensitive genetically hypertensive rats and normotensive Dahl salt-resistant rats | 60 mg/kg OA for 6 weeks | ↑GPx, ↑SOD |
↑Systolic and diastolic blood pressure | [35] |
SHR and Wistar Kyoto rats | 1.08 mg/kg OA for 4 weeks | ↓FAS, ↓sPLA2 |
↓↓TG, ↓LDL-c, ↓↓systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure |
[38] |
Nonalcoholic fatty liver | ||||
Fructose-induced male and female SD rats | 60 mg/kg for 7 days | ↓Inflammation, ↓steatosis and fibrosis |
↓↓Body mass, ↓liver mass, ↓hepatic lipid storage |
[41] |
HFD with 60 kcal% fat-induced rats | 25, 50, or 100 mg/kg for 8 weeks | ↓↓IL-6, ↓↓TLR4, ↓↓IL-1β, ↓↓TNF-α |
↓↓↓Body weight, ↓↓↓fatty liver score, ↓↓fasting blood glucose, ↓↓TG, ↓↓TC, ↓ALT, ↓AST |
[43] |
Male SD rats induced by a high-fat high-carbohydrate diet | 80 mg/kg for 12 weeks | ↓SREBP1, ↓MDA, ↑GPX, ↑SOD |
↓Body/liver weight ratio, ↓TG, ↓VLDL, ↑total bilirubin, ↓ALT, ↓AST |
[45] |
HepG2 cells | 5, 10, or 20 μM OA | ↓↓↓LXR, ↓↓↓SREBP-1c, ↑↑↑ABCA1, ↑↑↑ABCG1 |
↓↓↓Lipogenesis | [48] |
Liquid fructose-induced male SD rats | 5 or 25 mg/kg OA for 10 weeks | ↓SREBP-1 | ↓TG, ↓lipid accumulation |
[49] |
Diabetes mellitus | ||||
Male SD rats induced by Streptozotocin (STZ) | 5 mg/kg OA for 21 days | ↓↓↓TLR9, ↓↓↓NF-κB, ↓IL-18, ↓↓↓MDA |
↓↓Glucose | [53] |
High-fructose diet in male SD rats and pups | 60 mg/kg OA for 14 days | ↓↓↓TNF-α, ↓↓↓IL-6, ↑↑↑MAPK, ↑↑↑adiponectin |
↓Diabetes | [54] |
Male SD rats induced by STZ and a high-fat diet | 25 or 100 mg/kg OA for 8 weeks | ↓↓TLR4, ↓↓NF-κB |
↓↓Fasting blood glucose | [55] |
Male SD rats induced by high-fat and high-carbohydrate diet | 80 mg/kg OA for 12 weeks | ↓TNF-α, ↓IL-1β, ↓CRP |
↓Diabetes, ↓immune cell counts |
[56] |
HepG2 cells induced by free fatty acids | 5, 10, or 25 μM/L OA for 24 h | ↓↓NF-κB, ↓↓IL-6, ↑↑IRS1, ↑GLUT4, ↓↓TNF-α |
↓Insulin resistance, ↓blood glucose |
[57] |
Male SD rats induced by high-fat and -fructose (HFF) diet | 25 mg/kg OA for 6 weeks | ↓MDA, ↓NO, ↑SOD, ↑CAT |
↓Body weights, ↓serum insulin |
[59] |
STZ and high sugar and fat-induced female SD rats | 25 mg/kg OA for 6 weeks | ↓↓↓MDA, ↓↓↓NO, ↑↑↑SOD, ↑↑↑CAT |
↓↓↓Weight gain, ↓↓↓fasting blood glucose levels, ↑↑↑insulin sensitivity index |
[60] |
STZ-induced male SD rats | 100 mg/kg OA for 4 weeks | ↑GPx, ↑SOD |
↓Blood glucose, ↑body weight |
[61] |
HFD-induced Wistar rats | 60 or 100 mg/kg OA for 40 days | ↓↓MDA, ↑SOD, ↑↑GSH-px |
↓↓Blood glucose | [63] |
C57BL/KsJ-Lepdb (db/db) mice and wild mice | 20 mg/kg/day OA for 2 weeks | ↓ROS, ↑Nrf2 |
↓Fasting blood glucose | [62] |
STZ-induced male SD rats | 20, 40, or 60 mg/kg/day OA for 8 weeks | ↑CAT, ↑↑↑SOD, ↑GSH |
↓Diabetes | [64] |
Bioactive compound(s) | Not mentioned | ↓α-glycosidase, ↓α-amylase activities |
↓Diabetes | [67] |
Glucose-pancreatic β-cells, rat islets | 30 or 50 μM OA | ↑↑Insulin secretion | ↓Blood glucose | [68] |
STZ-induced male Wistar rats | 100 or 200 mg/kg OA for 40 days | ↑↑Insulin | ↓↓Blood glucose, ↓↓blood lipids |
[69] |
STZ-induced male SD rats | 40, 80, or 120 mg/kg OA for 5 weeks | ↑Hepatic glycogen, ↑muscle glycogen |
↓Blood glucose, ↑insulin sensitivity |
[70] |
STZ-induced male Wistar rats | 80 mg/kg OA for 18 h | ↓Glucose uptake | ↓Blood glucose | [71] |
Male SD rats induced by a high-fat high-carbohydrate diet | 80 mg/kg OA for 12 weeks | ↓HbA1c | ↓Caloric intake, ↓body weight, ↓blood glucose |
[73] |
High-fructose-diet-induced SD rats | 60 mg/kg OA for 7 days | ↑↑Nrf-1, ↓Acc-1, ↑↑GLUT-4, ↓FAS, ↑GLUT-5 |
↓↓↓Body mass, ↓visceral fat |
[74] |
STZ-induced male SD rats | 80 mg/kg OA for 14 days | ↓GP, ↓GS, ↓hexokinase activity |
↑Glycogen homeostasis | [75] |
C2C12 muscle cells and 3T3-L1 cells | 1 to 50 μM OA | ↑PPARγ/α, ↑GLUT4, ↑FATP1 |
↑Lipid homeostasis | [76] |
HFD-induced male C57BL/6J mice | 100 mg/kg/day OA for 7 days | ↑TGR5 | ↓Serum glucose, ↓insulin levels |
[78] |
STZ-induced male C57BL/6J mice were fed HFD | 100 mg/kg/day OA for 2 weeks | ↑p-Akt, ↑↑p-FoxO1, ↓G6Pase |
↓↓Urine glucose, ↓↓gluconeogenesis |
[80] |
STZ-induced male SD rats | 100 mg/kg OA for 14 days | ↑p-Akt, ↑GS, ↓GP |
↓Blood glucose | [81] |
Male C57BL/KsJ-Lepdb (db/db) mice | 250 mg/kg OA for 4 weeks | ↑Akt, ↑PI3K, ↑AMPK, ↓↓↓G6Pase, ↓mTOR, ↓↓↓PEPCK, ↓GP |
↓↓↓Blood glucose, ↑gluconeogenesis |
[83] |
High-fructose-induced male SD rats | 25 mg/kg/day OA for 10 weeks | ↑IRS-1, ↑PI3K, ↑p-Akt |
↓Plasma glucose | [84] |
STZ-induced male Institute of Cancer Research mice | 25, 50, or 75 mg/kg OA for 15 days | ↑↑IRS1, ↑↑GLUT2, ↑↑GLUT4, ↑↑Akt |
↓TC, ↓↓TG, ↓↓LDL, ↑↑HDL, ↓↓blood glucose |
[85] |
Fructose-induced male and female SD rats | 60 mg/kg OA for 7 days | ↓β-cell dysfunction | ↓Insulin resistance | [86] |
High-glucose-induced human vascular endothelial cells | 0.1 to 50 μM OA for 24 h | ↑PPARβ/δ, ↑eNOS, ↑p-eNOS, ↑p-Akt |
↓Endothelial dysfunction | [88] |
STZ-induced male SD rats | 80 mg/kg OA for 5 weeks | ↓HbA1c, ↓EPO, ↓MDA, ↑SOD, ↑GPx |
↓Diabetes | [91] |
High-fat-high-carbo-hydrate-diet-induced male SD rats | 80 mg/kg OA for 12 weeks | ↓Aldosterone, ↓KIM-1 |
↓Blood and urine electrolytes, ↓estimated glomerular filtration rate, ↓albumin/creatinine ratio |
[93] |
STZ-induced male Balb/cA mice | 0.05, 0.1, or 0.2% OA for 10 weeks | ↓HbA1c, ↓fructose,↓renal Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine |
↓Plasma glucose, ↑plasma insulin |
[95] |
Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty rats | 100 mg/kg OA for 20 weeks | ↓Urinary albumin/creatinine levels | ↑Blood insulin secretion, ↓ER stress, ↓damaged kidney structures |
[96] |
Experimental Models | Dose of OA | Signaling Pathways | Pharmacologic Action | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Stroke | ||||
Ischemia reperfusion experiment-induced female SD rats | 0.6 or 1.2 mM/kg OA for 3 days | ↓LDH, ↑GSH, ↑α-TOC |
↓Brain injury | [101] |
Male Institute of Cancer Research mice and male SD rats injured by bilateral common carotid artery ligation | 25 or 50 mg/kg OA for 4 days | ↑SOD, ↑↑GSH-Px, ↓↓MDA, ↓↓LDH, ↑MMP, ↑↑SDH |
↑↑Survival time, ↓cerebral infarction area |
[102] |
Male Institute of Cancer Research mice | 6 mg/kg/day OA for 3 days | ↓Evans blue leakage, ↓MMP9, ↓occludin, ↓dihydroethidium fluorescence, ↓MDA |
↓Infarct volumes, ↑locomotor activity, ↑memory ability |
[103] |
SH-SY5Y Cells and rats | 10, 20, or 40 μM OA for 12 h in vitro; 10 or 20 mg/kg OA for 3 days in vivo | ↑↑GSK-3β, ↑↑HO-1, ↓↓ROS |
↓↓Infarct volume in the brain, ↓↓apoptosis |
[105] |
Heart protection | ||||
Isoproterenol-induced adult male albino rats of the Wistar strain | 20, 40, or 60 mg/kg OA for 7 days | ↓ALT, ↓AST, ↓CPK, ↓LDH, ↓TBARS |
↑Heart protection | [108] |
STZ-induced male SD rats | 80 mg/kg OA for 14 days | ↓↓↓GS, ↓↓↓GP, ↑↑↑HO-1, ↑↑↑Nrf2 |
↓↓↓Diabetic cardiomyopathy | [109] |
SD rats to high-fat high-carbohydrate diet | Not mentioned | ↓CRP, ↓IL-6, ↓TNF-α, ↓MDA, ↑SOD, ↑GPx |
↓Mean arterial pressure, ↓heart weights, ↓TG, ↓TC, ↓LDL-c, ↓HDL-c |
[110] |
H9c2 cells | 5 or 10 μM OA | ↓ROS, ↓GSSG, ↓IL-6, ↓TNF-α, ↑GSH, ↑GPX, ↑GR, ↑CAT, ↑NF-κB, ↑caspase-3, ↓bcl-2 |
↑Cell viability, ↓plasma membrane damage, ↓apoptosis |
[114] |
High-glucose-induced H9c2 cells | 20 or 50 μM OA for 6 and 20 h | ↓↓↓Caspase-3, ↑↑SOD, ↓ROS |
↓↓↓Apoptosis, ↑↑↑heart protection |
[112] |
High-glucose-induced injury in neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes | 10 μM OA for 24 h | ↓↓↓BNP, ↓↓ET-1, ↓↓MMP |
↓↓Cardiomyocyte damage | [114] |
Male Zucker Diabetic fatty rats and lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 | Not mentioned exactly in vivo; 10 to 300 mM OA for 24 h in vitro | ↓↓ET-1, ↓ETA, ↓IκBβ, ↑↑IκBα |
↓↓Cardiac fibrosis | [116] |
C57BL/6J male mice and H9c2 cells | 25 or 100 mg/kg/day OA for 8 weeks | ↓Akt, ↓mTOR, ↓GSK-3β, ↓FoxO3a |
↓Cardiac hypertrophy, ↓tissue fibrosis |
[118] |
The platelets | 25, 50, 100, or 200 μM OA | ↑↑Phospholipase C | ↓↓Platelets aggregation | [119] |
Atherosclerosis | ||||
HUVECs induced by Ox-LDL | 1, 5, or 10 μM OA | ↓LOX-1, ↓ROS, ↓HIF-1α |
↓Apoptosis | [122] |
High-fat-diet-induced male quails and HUVECs induced by Ox-LDL | 25, 50, or 100 mg/kg OA for 10 weeks in vivo; 5, 10, or 20 μM OA for 24 h in vitro | ↓NADPH, ↓ROS, ↑Nrf2, ↑HO-1, ↓LOX-1 |
↓TG, ↓TC, ↓LDL, ↑HDL |
[123] |
New Zealand rabbits and C57BL/6J mice and Apoe-/- mice fed with an atherogenic diet | 25 mg/kg OA for 5 weeks | ↑PPARγ, ↑↑AdipoR1, ↓↓AdipoR2 |
↓↓TG, ↓TC, ↓↓LDL-c,↓intimal thickening of the artery |
[125] |
Atherogenic diet (1% cholesterol and 5% lard oil)-induced male New Zealand White rabbits and Ox-LDL-induced HUVECs | 50 mg/kg/day OA for 28 days in vivo; 40 μM OA for 24 h in vitro | ↑↑↑Ang1-7, ↑↑↑NO, ↑↑↑eNOS, ↑FXR |
↓↓↓TC, ↓↓↓TG, ↓LDL-C, ↓↓HDL-C, ↓↓↓cell apoptosis, ↓intimal thickening of the artery |
[128] |
ApoE-/- mice were fed a high-cholesterol Western-type diet | 100 mg/kg/day OA for 8 weeks | ↓iNOS | ↓Plaque area, ↓↓TC, ↓↓plaque area |
[129] |
This entry is adapted from the peer-reviewed paper 10.3390/molecules29040758