USE OF BETULINIC ACID AND ITS DERIVATIVES FOR INHIUSE OF BETULINIC ACID AND ITS DERIVATIVES FOR INHIBITING MALIGNANT MELANOMA GROWTH AND A METHOD OF MBITING MALIGNANT MELANOMA GROWTH AND A METHOD OF MONITORING THIS ONITORING THIS

摘要

A composition and method of inhibiting tumor growth and treating malignant melanoma without toxic side effects are disclosed. Betulinic acid or a betulinic acid derivative is the active compound of the composition, which is topically applied to the situs of tumor. Betulinic acid is obtained by the steps of preparing an extract from the stem bark of Ziziphus mauritiana to mediate selective cytotoxic profile against human melanoma in the subject panel of human cancer cell lines, conducting a bioassay-directed fractionation based on the profile of biological activity using cultured human melanoma cells as the monitor, and obtaining betulinic acid.