Oleanolic acid and ursolic acid: research perspectives.

Oleanolic acid and ursolic acid are ubiquitous triterpenoids in plant kingdom, medicinal herbs, and are integral part of the human diet. During the last decade over 700 research articles have been published on their research, reflecting tremendous interest and progress in our understanding of these triterpenoids. This included the isolation and purification of these tritepernoids from various plants and herbs, the chemical modifications to make more effective and water soluble derivatives, the pharmacological research on their beneficial effects, the toxicity studies, and the clinical use of these triterpenoids in various diseases including anticancer chemotherapies. A briefly commentary is attempted here for their research perspectives.