Levopimaric Acid (LPA)

Levopimaric acid is an abietane-type of diterpene resin acid. It is a major constituent of pine oleoresin with the chemical formula of C20H30O2. In general, the abietene types of diterpene resin acid have various biological activities, such as antibacterial, cardiovascular and antioxidant. About 18 to 25% of levopimaric acid is found in pine oleoresin. The production of oleoresin by conifer species is an important component of the defense response against insect attack and fungal pathogen infection. Oleoresin in pines is defined as pine gum, which is the nonaqueous secretion of resin acids dissolved in a terpene hydrocarbon oil, which is produced in or exuded from the intercellular resin ducts of a living tree. The viscous oleoresin secretion is composed of a complex mixture of terpenoids, consisting of roughly equal parts of volatile turpentine and rosin (also known as diterpene resin acids).