Chitin Synthase II Inhibitory Activity of Ursolic Acid, Isolated from Crataegus pinnatifida

Abstract

Two triterpenoid compounds, ursolic acid and uvaol, were isolated from Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge leaves. Ursolic acid inhibits chitin synthase II from S. cerevisiae with an IC₅₀ value of 0.84 µg/ml and the inhibition appears to be selective for chitin synthase II, whereas uvaol has no inhibitory activity up to 280 µg/ml. Oleanolic acid, α-hederin hydrate, and betulic acid inhibited the chitin synthase II activity under the same conditions with an IC₅₀ of 5.6, 64.3, and 98.7/ µg/ml, respectively.