A pentacyclic triterpene that occurs widely in many PLANTS as the free acid or the aglycone for many SAPONINS. It is biosynthesized from lupane. It can rearrange to the isomer, ursolic acid, or be oxidized to taraxasterol and amyrin. Pentacyclic triterpenes that are derivatives of beta-amyrin and are the biosynthetic source of GLYCYRRHIZIC ACID and ESCIN.
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