From the Research
Effects of Ursolic Acid Supplementation
- Ursolic acid (UA) supplementation has been investigated for its potential effects on various health outcomes, including cardiometabolic risk factors, inflammation, and antioxidant activity 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
- A systematic review and meta-analysis found that UA supplementation had no significant effect on cardiometabolic risk factors, including body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, body fat percentage, lean body mass, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, insulin, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein 1.
- However, other studies have reported that UA supplementation can reduce inflammatory parameters, such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and increase antioxidant enzyme levels, such as SOD and GSH, while reducing oxidative stress levels 2, 5.
- UA has also been investigated for its potential anti-cancer effects, with studies suggesting that it can target multiple proinflammatory transcription factors, cell cycle proteins, growth factors, kinases, cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules, and inflammatory enzymes 3, 4.
- Additionally, UA supplementation has been found to increase the plasma levels of irisin, a myokine that has been linked to various health benefits, while decreasing the plasma levels of CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α in low activity men undergoing high-intensity resistance training 5.
Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects
- UA has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, with studies reporting reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines and increased levels of antioxidant enzymes 2, 5.
- The anti-inflammatory effects of UA may be mediated by its ability to inhibit the production of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α 2, 5.
- The antioxidant effects of UA may be mediated by its ability to increase the levels of antioxidant enzymes, such as SOD and GSH, while reducing oxidative stress levels 2.
Potential Therapeutic Applications
- UA has been investigated for its potential therapeutic applications in various diseases, including cancer, diabetic neuropathy, and inflammatory diseases 3, 4.
- The therapeutic potential of UA may be attributed to its ability to target multiple molecular pathways, including proinflammatory transcription factors, cell cycle proteins, growth factors, kinases, cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules, and inflammatory enzymes 3, 4.