Search for new bioactive compounds based on microbial transformation of oleanane type pentacyclic triterpenoids

Against the backdrop of a lack of highly effective pharmacological agents for the treatment of socially significant diseases, the search for new chemical compounds with biological activity based on plant pentacyclic triterpenoids, including oleanolic (OA) and glycyrrhetic (GA) acids, is urgent. These triterpene acids are used to obtain derivatives with pronounced antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and hepatoprotective activities. The transformation of triterpenoids is mainly carried out using chemical methods, requiring extreme acidity, temperature, the use of expensive catalysts or protective groups of the reactive centers of the molecule. This review presents the results of our own research and data from the scientific literature of recent years regarding the assessment of the possibility of using the biological transformation of OA and GA based on the enzymatic activity of microorganisms.