LAUSR

Betulinic acid (BA), a pentacyclic triterpene derived from the bark of the white birch tree, has been reported to have a variety of pharmacological effects, including antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, antitumor, immunomodulatory, and antiarthritis properties. However, the role of BA in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains unclear. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine the effects of BA on RA fibroblast‐like synoviocytes (RA‐FLS) proliferation, migration, and inflammatory response, and further explore the potential underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that BA inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of RA‐FLSs. BA also attenuated tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), enhanced matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) expression, and inflammatory cytokines production in RA‐FLS. Furthermore, BA prevented the activation of Akt/NF‐κB pathway in RA‐FLS exposed to TNF‐α. In conclusion, these findings indicated that BA inhibits cell proliferation, migration, and inflammatory response in RA‐FLS; and the Akt/NF‐κB signaling pathway was involved in the protective effect of BA on RA‐FLS. Thus, BA might be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of RA.