Compound Monograph
Betulinic acid
Betulinic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid derived from birch bark and many other plants, widely studied in the laboratory for anticancer activity.
Classification
Betulinic acid is a triterpenoid, part of the terpenoids class. The largest class of plant compounds, built from five-carbon isoprene units — the essential-oil aromatics, resins, bitter principles, saponins, and plant sterols.
Where Does It Come From? (11)
Betulinic acid is a naturally occurring triterpenoid, found in Birch bark, Tick trefoil, Ulei ironwood and 8 other sources. It is well tolerated orally (low toxicity).
Research & Evidence
Betulinic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid found in birch bark and a wide range of other plants, often as an oxidation product of betulin. It has been the subject of extensive laboratory research, particularly for selective cytotoxic effects on certain tumour cell lines and for antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity. These findings come almost entirely from cell and animal studies, and it is not an established human treatment.
Toxicity & Safety
In laboratory studies betulinic acid has shown relatively selective activity against tumour cells with limited toxicity to normal cells, but its safety profile in humans is not well characterised. Poor water solubility has been a major obstacle to its development, and it should be regarded as a research compound rather than a proven remedy.