Triterpenes and Triterpenoids Clinically Useful with Multiple Targets in Cancer, Malaria and More Treatment: Focus on Potential Therapeutic Value

Triterpenoids are the most promising plant secondary metabolites. Several triterpenoids, including ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, betulinic acid, celastrol, pristimerin, lupeol and avicins are representative group of phytochemicals possesses biological properties. Anti-tumor, anti-cancer, anti-biotic, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, anti-HIV, acetyl cholinesterase, anti-wrinkle and anti-feedant activities of these compounds is measured. Role for triterpenes in the cancer setting is also gradually emerging. Triterpenoids are highly multifunctional and structurally diverse organic compounds, characterized by a basic backbone modified in multiple ways, allowing the formation of more than 20,000 naturally occurring triterpenoid varieties.

Fusidic acid is a representative member of terpenes, which has found clinical applications. It is non-allergic, has relatively low toxicity and has little cross-resistance with other clinically used anti-biotics and it remains a unique and promising agent due to the significant potencies against Staphylococci. Synthesis of triterpene derivatives is a strategy to obtain compounds with enhanced bioactivity by the introduction of electron-withdrawing/donating groups.To improve anti-tumor activity, some synthetic triterpenoid derivatives cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9 (11)-dien-28-oic (CDDO), its methyl ester (CDDO-Me) and imidazolide (CDDO-Im) derivatives have been synthesized. Of these, CDDO, CDDO-Me and betulinic acid have shown promising anti-tumor activities and are presently under evaluation in phase I studies. The present review provides updates on wide range of most important biological activities of triterpenoids and their role in the resolution of diseases to examine the mechanism by which they are useful as ethnopharmacological medicines. In this review efforts have been taken to review the potential use of triterpenoids to be used in the pharmaceutical industry as potential drug leads. In addition previous and current information regarding, its natural and semisynthetic analogs, focussing on its biological activities will be discussed. Thus, the present review investigates the potential use of these triterpenes against human pathogens, including their mechanisms of action, via in vivo studies, and the future perspectives about the use of compounds for human or even animal health are also discussed.