An overview of betulin: botanical source, derivatives and biological potential: Mini Review

This review aims to provide insight into and summarize the potential of betulin and its derivatives as important pharmaceutical molecules, including their underlying mechanisms of action. This investigation compiles comprehensive scientific data regarding betulin as a botanical raw material for industrial and pharmaceutical applications. Betulin, a natural pentacyclic lupane-triterpenoid, exhibits diverse biological activities, addressing metabolic dysfunctions, infectious diseases, cardiovascular disorders, and carcinogenic activity. The extraction of betulin from natural sources, mainly birch bark, is relatively simple and cost-effective, making it an attractive compound for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. This study lists 93 plant sources of betulin and explores its repurposing as an effective therapeutic agent. It highlights its potential as an antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and hepatoprotective compound, emphasizing the benefits of derivatizing betulin with various groups or moieties, such as imidazole carboxylic ester, hemisuccinate, hemiphthalate, nicotinate, acetylbetulin-28-o-triphenylphosphonium, succinyl, and 3-substituted glutaryl. The information gathered comes from various sources, including plant databases, Google Scholar, PubMed, ethnobotanical references, and classical texts.