2. Academic Validation
  3. Actichinone, a new ursane triterpenoid from Actinidia chinensis roots, ameliorates NAFLD via the AMPK and NF-κB pathways

Actichinone, a new ursane triterpenoid from Actinidia chinensis roots, ameliorates NAFLD via the AMPK and NF-κB pathways

  • Eur J Pharmacol. 2025 Mar 5:990:177276. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2025.177276.
Xinhua Li 1,  Yuanlong Zhang 1,  Leiqing Chen 1,  Xiao Xu 1,  Xiaohong Ma 1,  Shuying Lou 1,  Ziqiang Zou 1,  Chenjing Wang 1,  Bing Jiang 1,  Yunrui Cai 2,  Yu Qi 1,  Yiyuan Xi 3,  Min Zhao 2,  Pengcheng Yan 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China.
  • 2 School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China.
  • 3 Clinical Research Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China. Electronic address: xiyiyuan1@wmu.edu.cn.
  • 4 School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China. Electronic address: yanpc@wmu.edu.cn.
PMID: 39828019 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2025.177276
Abstract

A new ursane triterpenoid, actichinone (3-oxo-2α,24-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid, 1), was isolated from the roots of a kiwi plant Actinidia chinensis Planch, together with 18 known triterpenoids (2-19). The structure of actichinone (1) was established by extensive spectroscopic analysis. Actichinone (1) showed the most potent lipid-lowering activity in the oleic acid (OA)-induced primary mouse hepatocytes and the structure-activity relationships (SARs) were analyzed. Chemical semi-synthesis of actichinone (1) was achieved by selective oxidation of the major compound 2. Actichinone (1) exhibited significant alleviation of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a high-fat with methionine and choline deficiency diet (HFMCD)-fed mice model, by regulating lipid accumulation and inflammatory response probably via the AMPK/SREBP-1c/PPAR-α and IKK/IκB/NF-κB signaling pathways. This study provides a promising lead compound and a new insight into the development of novel anti-NAFLD agents based on the pentacyclic triterpenoid family, and is expected to promote the high value-added comprehensive application of the A. chinensis Plants.

Keywords

AMPK; Actichinone; Actinidia chinensis roots; Anti-NAFLD effect; NF-κB.

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