Chemopreventive and Anticancer Activity of Selected Triterpenoids in Melanoma.

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer, characterized by high metastatic potential and resistance to conventional therapies. Natural compounds, particularly terpenoids, have gained attention for their chemopreventive potential and anticancer properties. These plant-derived compounds exhibit diverse biological activities, e.g., cell viability and proliferation inhibition, apoptosis induction, cell cycle regulation, and immune system modulation. The review evaluates the current state of the art on the chemopreventive and anticancer activity of lupane- (betulinic acid), oleanane- (oleanolic acid, β-amyrin, escin, hederagenin, glycyrrhetinic acid), and ursane-type (ursolic acid, asiatic acid, madecassic acid, α-amyrin) triterpenoids in melanoma, highlighting their mechanisms of action, therapeutic potential, and challenges in clinical application.