Hawthorn Acid

Hawthorn Acid is a triterpenoid substance found in olive leaves. Due to its remarkable health benefits and wide range of applications, hawthorn acid is regarded as one of the most researched natural active ingredients today. Moreover, hawthorn acid has been incorporated into cosmetic skin care products as a prominent active ingredient.

The Benefits of Hawthorn Acid

Anti-inflammatory effect: Oleanolic acid has significant anti-inflammatory activity. It can inhibit the production and release of various inflammatory mediators, such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), leukotriene B4 (LTB4), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), etc., and can also regulate inflammatory signaling pathways such as nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), thereby reducing inflammatory responses. In various inflammatory models, oleanolic acid has shown good anti-inflammatory effects and has certain therapeutic potential for inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and enteritis.

Immunomodulation: Oleanolic acid has a bidirectional regulatory effect on the immune system of the body. On the one hand, it can enhance the cellular immune function of the body, promote the proliferation and differentiation of T lymphocytes, improve the phagocytic ability of macrophages, and enhance the body’s anti-infection and anti-tumor capabilities; on the other hand, oleanolic acid can also inhibit the inflammatory damage caused by overly strong immune responses, maintaining the balance of the immune system. This immunomodulatory effect makes it significant in the treatment of immune-related diseases.

Anti-tumor effect: Research has found that oleanolic acid has certain anti-tumor activity. It can exert anti-tumor effects through multiple pathways such as inducing tumor cell apoptosis, inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and invasion, and blocking the cell cycle. Oleanolic acid can regulate the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in tumor cells, activate the caspase cascade reaction, and promote tumor cell apoptosis. At the same time, it can also inhibit DNA synthesis and cell division in tumor cells, blocking them in the G0/G1 phase and thereby inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. In addition, oleanolic acid has a certain inhibitory effect on tumor cell invasion and metastasis, reducing the migration ability of tumor cells and decreasing distant metastasis of tumors.

Antioxidant effect: Oleanolic acid has a strong antioxidant capacity, capable of eliminating free radicals in the body, such as superoxide anions and hydroxyl radicals, reducing oxidative stress-induced damage to cells. It can enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the body, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), while reducing the content of lipid peroxidation products such as malondialdehyde (MDA), thereby protecting cells from oxidative damage, delaying the aging process, and having a certain preventive and therapeutic effect on diseases related to oxidative stress, such as cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases.