REVIEW ARTICLES

Biological Activity and Pharmacological Prospects of Lupane Terpenoids: I. Natural Lupane Derivatives

T. G. Tolstikova*, I. V. Sorokina*, G. A. Tolstikov*, A. G. Tolstikov**,^# and O. B. Flekhter***

^# Fax: +7 (095) 954-2338; e-mail: tagtolst@presidium.ras.ru

* Vorozhtsov Institute of Organic Chemistry, Novosibirsk, Siberian Division, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. akademika Lavrent'eva 9, Novosibirsk, 630090 Russia

** Institute of Technical Chemistry, Ural Division, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Lenina 13a, Perm, 614990 Russia

*** Institute of Organic Chemistry, Ufa Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Oktyabrya 71, Ufa, 450054 Russia

The biological activity of natural and semisynthetic lupane triterpenoids is discussed in a two-part review. The first part is devoted to the pharmacological properties of natural lupane triterpenoids. Betulinic acid has proven to be the most effective antitumor agent among more than fifty natural lupanes.

Key words: anti-HIV activity, betulin , betulinic acid, betulonic acid

Received March 11, 2005; in final form, July 13, 2005

Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry 2006, 32 (1):37-49