Synthesis and antileukemic activity of an ursolic acid derivative: A potential co-drug in combination with imatinib

Imatinib, a specific Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is the most commonly used drug in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. However, optimal response is not achieved in up to 33% of patients. Therefore, development of novel therapeutic strategies for chronic myeloid leukemia is critical. Betulinic (1) and ursolic (2) acids are natural pentacyclic triterpenes that exhibit antileukemic activities. In this study, we evaluated the effects...