In recent years, studies have found that caffeic acid and its derivatives have very good anti-influenza virus and anti-HIV activities. Caffeic acid can inhibit the proliferation of influenza A virus and can inhibit the transmission of HCV in the initial stage of HCV infection. The derivative of caffeic acid-caffeic acid phenethyl ester is a natural substance with very obvious anti-HIV discovered in recent years. In addition, shikonian acid and salvianolic acid B have strong inhibitory activity of human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-I) integrase, with IC5 of 0.83 and 0.48 mol/L, respectively, and are expected to become new natural drugs for the treatment of AIDS. In addition to anti-HIV virus, a series of phenolic acid compounds formed by the condensation of caffeic acid and quinic acid through esterification reaction, collectively called caffeoylquinic acid, among which chlorogenic acid is the representative, this type of compound widely exists in In plants such as Compositae, Fabaceae, Umbelliferae, and Convolvulaceae, studies have found that such substances have very good antiviral activity and can effectively inhibit influenza virus and hepatitis B virus. Recent studies have found that chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid in forsythin can inhibit the proliferation of porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) in porcine testicular cells (ST), and caffeic acid can greatly reduce the virus activity. It is expected to be developed into an antiviral drug.
Caffeic acid and its derivatives are natural fungicides that can inhibit a variety of fungal and bacterial infections. Studies have shown that the antibacterial mechanism of caffeic acid components is related to its strong antioxidant activity. The salvianolic acid A in Salvia miltiorrhiza has good anti-inflammatory activity after ultrasonic extraction. The chlorogenic acid in chrysanthemum notoginseng, honeysuckle, and Eucommia ulmoides has strong antibacterial activity and can be developed as a natural food preservative. Another study shows that the inhibitory effect of chlorogenic acid components on Escherichia coli is due to the fact that such components can destroy the structure of bacterial cell walls and membranes, leading to increased cell permeability, which in turn causes the leakage of cell contents, leading to cell apoptosis .
Danshen preparations are widely used clinically in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and the main chemical components that exert pharmacological effects are caffeic acid derivatives such as salvianolic acid. Studies have found that salvianolic acid components have a strong antagonistic effect on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury, can inhibit platelet aggregation, and have a good antithrombotic effect. Total salvianolic acid can inhibit thrombosis after cerebral ischemia, and reduce the levels of plasma endothelin and thromboxane B2.
Liver fibrosis refers to abnormal hyperplasia of intrahepatic connective tissue caused by various pathogenic factors, which is the result of liver parenchyma and biliary system damage. Studies have found that salvianolic acid A and B both exhibit strong hepatoprotective activity, and shikonian acid can resist liver damage caused by oxidative stress. Danshensu can inhibit liver fibrosis through the MEK/ERK signaling pathway, and phenethyl caffeate can resist oxidative stress and inhibit the activity of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), so it has the characteristics of anti-hepatic fibrosis.
In recent years, studies have shown that there is a certain relationship between diabetes and oxidative stress, and the antioxidant effect of caffeic acid and its derivatives also plays a positive role in the treatment of diabetes. Caffeic acid can reduce the absorption of glucose by endothelial cells, promote the decomposition of glycogen in the liver, and regulate the sensitivity of insulin by increasing the glucose intake of adipocytes, thereby reducing blood sugar levels. Caffeic acid derivatives caffeic acid methyl ester (CAME) and caffeic acid ethyl ester (CAEE) caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) can reduce the absorption of glucose by C2C12 cells. Sinapinic acid can reduce the proliferation of rat vascular smooth muscle cells induced by high glucose by inhibiting PKC/P38 activation, and promote cell apoptosis, which can be used for the prevention and treatment of diabetic complications. Salvianolic acid A can regulate mitochondria by activating AMPK and play a role in treating diabetes.
