ANTI-ANGIOGENIC ACTIVITY OF TRITERPENE ACIDS

Ursolic acid (UA) and oleanolic acid (OA) were examined for anti-angio genic activities by using the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (C AM) assay. The presence of UA or OA inhibited angiogenesis in a dose-d ependent manner; the doses required for half-maximal inhibition (ID50) Were 5 mu g and 40 mu g per CAM, respectively. UA was a more potent a ngiogenic inhibitor than OA. We also tested for inhibitory effect on t he proliferation of bovine aortic endothelial cell. They effectively i nhibited the proliferation of bovine aortic endothelial cell in a conc entration-dependent manner. The IC50 values of anti-proliferative effe cts were determined to be 5 mu M for UA and 20 mu M for OA. Based on t hese results, we speculated that the inhibitory effects on bovine aort ic endothelial cell proliferation of UA and OA might be important for anti-angiogenesis.