Betulinic acid– a pentacyklic triterpene found in many plant species. It is most often obtained from betulin from birch bark (Betula alba). Studies on the activity of betulinic acid have shown that it acts selectively on human melanoma cells without affecting healthy cells. Subsequent studies have shown that it is also effective in the treatment of neuroectodermal tumors (neuroblastoma, glioma, medulloblastoma) and other malignancies – including head, neck, colon, lung, prostate, kidney, ovarian, leukemia and hepatocellular carcinoma. The effectiveness of betulinic acid in relation to the tumor line that caused drug resistance to standard cytostatics has also been proven. It has also been proven that the use of betulinic acid in combination with standard cytostatics (doxorubicin, etoposide, cisplatin, paclitaxel or actinomycin D) increases the efficacy of the therapy that can be used in cancer polytherapy.
