3-Oxobetulin acetate is a derivative of the cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitor betulin .¹It inhibits the growth of P388 murine lymphocytic leukemia cells (EC₅₀= 0.12 µg/ml), as well as human MCF-7 breast, SF-268 CNS, H460 lung, and KM20L2 colon cancer cells (GI₅₀s = 8, 10.6, 5.2, and 12.7 µg/ml, respectively), but not BxPC-3 pancreas or DU145 prostate cancer cells (GI₅₀s = >10 µg/ml for both).²3-Oxobetulin acetate inhibits replication of X4 tropic recombinant HIV (NL4.3-Ren) in MT-2 lymphoblastoid cells (IC₅₀= 13.4 µM).³It is also active againstL. donovaniamastigotes when used at a concentration of 50 µM.¹

1.Alakurtti, S., BergstrÖm, P., Sacerdoti-Sierra, N., et al.Anti-leishmanial activity of betulin derivativesJ. Antibiot. (Tokyo)63(3)123-126(2010) 2.Pettit, G.R., Melody, N., Hempenstall, F., et al.Antineoplastic agents. 595. Structural modifications of betulin and the X-ray crystal structure of an unusual betulin amine dimerJ. Nat. Prod.77(4)863-872(2014) 3.Callies, O., Bedoya, L.M., BeltrÁn, M., et al.Isolation, structural modification, and HIV inhibition of pentacyclic lupane-type triterpenoids from Cassine xylocarpa and Maytenus cuzcoinaJ. Nat. Prod.78(5)1045-1055(2015)