Maslinic acid Chemical Properties |
Melting point | 267~269℃ |
Boiling point | 570.0±50.0 °C(Predicted) |
density | 1.14±0.1 g/cm3(Predicted) |
storage temp. | 2-8°C |
solubility | acetone: soluble1mg/mL, clear, colorless |
pka | 4.63±0.70(Predicted) |
form | powder |
color | white to off-white |
Maslinic acid (2-α,3-β-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid) is a pentacyclic triterpene abundant in the cuticular lipid layer of olive fruits (Bianchi et al.,1994) .It is a compound of 30 carbon atoms grouped in five cycles that have several substitutes. Maslinic acid presents two hydroxyl groups bound to carbons 2 and 3,one carboxyl group bound to carbon 17, and a double bond between carbons 12 and 13.It is a highly hydrophobic compound of low water solubility. Maslinic acid is synthesized in plants via the cytoplasmic acetate/mevalonate pathway that leads to oxidosqualene (Seo et al., 1988).Oxidosqualene is cycled by various oxidosqualene cyclases, among them β-amyrin synthase, which catalyzes the transformation of oxydosqualene into β-amyrin (olean-12-3n-3β-ol). Afterwards,β-amyrin is converted by successive reactions into erythrodiol, oleanolic acid, and finally maslinic acid (Saimaru et al.,2007; Stiti et al.,2007).