Immunomodulatory properties of triterpenes

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Natural Product Chemistry
• Pharmacology

Background:

• A balanced immune system is crucial for health, protecting against infections and preventing autoimmune disorders.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has increased interest in immune system modulation.
• Medicinal plants contain triterpenes, natural compounds with significant immunomodulatory potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the immunomodulatory efficacy of various triterpenes based on existing scientific literature.
• To highlight key triterpenes with demonstrated immune-regulatory properties.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of preclinical and clinical studies on triterpenes.
• Identification and summary of widely investigated immunomodulatory triterpenes.

Main Results:

• Triterpenes, including oleanolic acid, glycyrrhizin, and ursolic acid, exhibit diverse immunomodulatory mechanisms.
• These compounds show potential in disease symptom alleviation and enhancing well-being.
• A list of key immunomodulatory triterpenes was compiled.

Conclusions:

• Triterpenes possess significant immunoregulatory properties with therapeutic potential.
• Current research, while extensive, has limitations.
• More well-designed clinical studies are essential to validate the efficacy and safety of triterpenes for immune system balance.