Taraxerol

Taraxerol is a pentacyclic triterpene that has been found in T. officinale and has diverse biological activities.^1,2,3 It reduces proliferation of MDA-MB-468 and SK-BR-3 breast cancer cells (IC₅₀s = 100.5 and 84.48 µM, respectively).¹ It inhibits nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), promotes degradation of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and induces ferroptosis in MDA-MB-468 and SK-BR-3 cells. In vivo, taraxerol (10 mg/kg) reduces tumor growth in an SK-BR-3 mouse xenograft model. Taraxerol reduces the levels of COX-2 and inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages when used at concentrations of 20 and 40 µM and decreases the production of the pro-inflammatory mediators nitrite, prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂; Item No. 14010), IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in the same cells.² Taraxerol (20 mg/kg) reduces hyperglycemia in a rat model of type 2 diabetes induced by a high-fat diet and streptozotocin (STZ; Item No. 13104).³ It also increases skeletal muscle PI3K and membrane-associated glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) levels and insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1), Akt, and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation in the same model.

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1. Du, P., Han, A., Liu, J., et al. Taraxerol induces ferroptosis in breast cancer by targeting Nrf2 transcriptional activity to promote MIB2-mediated GPX4 ubiquitination. Phytomedicine 145:157024, (2025).

2. Yao, X., Li, G., Bai, Q., et al. Taraxerol inhibits LPS-induced inflammatory responses through suppression of TAK1 and Akt activation. Int. Immunopharmacol. 15(2), 316-324 (2013).

3. Khanra, R., Bhattacharjee, N., Dua, T.K., et al. Taraxerol, a pentacyclic triterpenoid, from Abroma augusta leaf attenuates diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetic rats. Biomed. Pharmacother. 94, 726-741 (2017).