Inhibitory effect of ursolic acid on B16 proliferation through cell cycle arrest

The effects of ursolic acid on the proliferation of B16, a mouse melanoma cell line, were studied. During investigations of the anti-proliferative effects of this triterpene, we observed that MTT colorimetric and colony forming assays show that ursolic acid is a potent inhibitor of B16 cell growth. Cell cycle analysis was performed by propidium iodide-staining and flow cytometry technique. This triterpene exerts an early effect on cell cycle at G1, which explains its anti-proliferative activity. These results suggest that alterations in cell cycle phase redistribution of B16, by ursolic acid, may significantly influence the proliferation of B16, melanoma cells.