The amyrins are three closely related natural chemical compounds of the
triterpene class. They are designated α-amyrin (ursane skeleton), β-amyrin (oleanane skeleton) and δ-amyrin. Each is a pentacyclic triterpenol with the chemical formula C
30H
50O. They are widely distributed in nature and have been isolated from a variety of plant sources such as
epicuticular wax. In plant biosynthesis, α-amyrin is the precursor of ursolic acid and β-amyrin is the precursor of oleanolic acid. All three amyrins occur in the surface wax of tomato fruit.
α-Amyrin is found in
dandelion coffee.
A study demonstrated that α,β-amyrin exhibits long-lasting
antinociceptive
Nociception (also nocioception, from Latin ''nocere'' 'to harm or hurt') is the Somatosensory system, sensory nervous system's process of encoding Noxious stimulus, noxious stimuli. It deals with a series of events and processes required for an org ...
and
anti-inflammatory properties in 2 models of persistent nociception via activation of the
cannabinoid receptors
CB1 and
CB2 and by inhibiting the production of
cytokines and expression of
NF-κB,
CREB and
cyclooxygenase 2.
References
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Secondary alcohols
Triterpenes