What Is Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester And Its Benefits?

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) is a naturally occurring organic compound, mainly extracted from plant resources such as propolis. Its molecular structure is formed by the esterification reaction of caffeic acid and phenylethanol, and has unique biological activity. In addition, its antioxidant properties have attracted much attention as a natural preservative in the food industry, and it is also regarded as a potential anti-inflammatory drug and adjuvant therapeutic ingredient in the medical field. As a multi-effect natural product, it has shown broad application prospects in health care and disease prevention research.

What Are The Health Benefits of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester?

Antioxidant:Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester contains catechol structure and is a strong antioxidant. It can scavenge free radicals, such as hydroxyl radicals, superoxide anions, etc., and its antioxidant capacity is more than 10 times that of vitamin E. It can block the production of active oxidants in neutrophils and the xanthine oxidase system, reduce the damage of oxidative stress to cells, and further enhance the antioxidant capacity of cells by regulating the activity of antioxidant enzymes.

Anti-inflammatory: It is a specific inhibitor of nuclear transcription factor NF-κB, which can inhibit the production and release of inflammatory mediators, such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes, thereby reducing the damage of inflammatory response to the body. It has anti-inflammatory effects on acute and chronic typical inflammation, formaldehyde-induced and antigenic enhancer-induced arthritis, edema inflammation or air sac inflammation induced by carrageenan and prostaglandin E2, and granuloma transplantation.

Immunomodulation: It can change the cell structure of the immune organs thymus and spleen in the inflammatory body, reduce the weight of the thymus, and directly or indirectly reduce the number of T cells. It can also inhibit the proliferation and activation of T lymphocytes, reduce the degree of inflammatory response, promote the apoptosis of immune cells, and reduce the damage to the body caused by the excessive activation of immune cells.

Cardiovascular protection: It is possible that there is a dual mechanism for the effect on blood vessels. On the one hand, it activates NO release at low concentrations, and on the other hand, it can block the exchange of calcium ions inside and outside the cells at high concentrations, which helps prevent complications after resection of the chest and thoracic and abdominal aorta, and has a certain protective effect on the cardiovascular system.

Neuroprotection: Some studies have shown that CAPE may help protect neurons from damage, improve cognitive function, and may delay the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.

Antiviral: It has an inhibitory effect on a variety of viruses, including influenza virus, herpes virus, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, etc. It can inhibit the replication and infection of viruses, reduce the ability of viruses to spread, and can also enhance the body's resistance to viruses by regulating the immune response of host cells.

Liver protection: It can improve liver damage caused by various factors through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant methods, such as carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage, drug-induced liver damage, diabetic liver damage, electromagnetic wave-induced liver oxidative stress, liver ischemia/reperfusion injury, cold stimulation-induced liver damage, lipopolysaccharide-induced liver damage, and cholestatic liver damage.

How Does Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester Affect The Immune System?

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) is a natural compound with multiple biological activities. Its effects on the immune system are complex and multifaceted. It has both immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory effects.

Antioxidant: It has strong antioxidant capacity, can scavenge free radicals, protect cells from oxidative damage, maintain the normal function and structure of immune cells, and indirectly protect and regulate the immune system.

Anti-inflammatory: CAPE can inhibit the synthesis and release of inflammatory mediators, such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes, thereby reducing inflammatory responses. This helps to regulate the balance of the immune system and reduce the occurrence of chronic inflammation.

Enhance macrophage activity: It can enhance the phagocytic activity of macrophages, enabling them to better identify and remove foreign bodies such as pathogens, thereby enhancing the body's nonspecific immune function.

Regulate T cells: It can upregulate the content of immune regulatory cytokines IL-2 and IL-4, promote T cell proliferation, and produce more antibodies to exert immunomodulatory effects. At the same time, it can also directly or indirectly reduce the number of T cells, regulate the proportion and function of T cell subsets, enhance the body's resistance to pathogenic microorganisms, and reduce the damage of autoimmune diseases to tissues.

Inhibit dendritic cell differentiation and maturation: When lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulates human dendritic cells to place them in an inflammatory microenvironment, caffeic acid phenethyl ester can reduce the differentiation of human dendritic cells and inhibit their maturation, thereby regulating the immune response.

Inhibit signal transduction pathways: CAPE can inhibit signal transduction pathways such as phospholipase C-γ (PLC-γ) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), which play a key role in T cell activation, proliferation and cytokine production. By interfering with these signal pathways, CAPE may inhibit the overactivation of immune cells and reduce the release of inflammatory mediators.

In summary, the impact on the immune system is dual, which can not only inhibit excessive immune response, reduce inflammation and tissue damage, but also enhance the body's resistance to pathogens. This regulatory effect may help maintain the balance of the immune system and reduce the occurrence of chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases.

How Does Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester Enhance The Antioxidant Effect?

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) can enhance the antioxidant effect through a variety of mechanisms, mainly including the following aspects:

Direct free radical scavenging: It has a strong free radical scavenging ability and can directly react with reactive oxygen species, thereby reducing the damage of these harmful substances to cells. The ortho-diphenolic hydroxyl group in its structure is the key part of its antioxidant activity, which can provide hydrogen atoms to free radicals to stabilize them.

Inhibition of oxidase: It can inhibit the activity of certain oxidases, such as xanthine oxidase (XO) and nitric oxide synthase (Nrf2). These enzymes will produce a large number of reactive oxygen species during the catalytic process. By inhibiting their activity, CAPE can reduce the generation of reactive oxygen, thereby reducing oxidative stress.

Enhancement of antioxidant enzyme system: It can enhance the activity of intracellular antioxidant enzyme system, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). These enzymes play a key role in clearing reactive oxygen species in cells. By enhancing their activity, CAPE can improve the overall antioxidant capacity of cells.

Regulate redox-sensitive signaling pathways: It can regulate some redox-sensitive signaling pathways, such as NF-κB and Nrf2 pathways3. NF-κB is an important transcription factor related to inflammation and oxidative stress. CAPE can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress responses by inhibiting its activation. Nrf2 is a key cell-protective transcription factor. CAPE can enhance the ability of cells to resist oxidative stress by activating Nrf2.

Protect cell membranes: It can protect cell membranes from damage by lipid peroxidation2. Lipid peroxidation is a process in which reactive oxygen attacks polyunsaturated fatty acids on cell membranes, resulting in damage to cell membrane structure and function. By inhibiting lipid peroxidation, CAPE can maintain the integrity and function of cell membranes.

In summary, these mechanisms work together to make caffeic acid phenethyl ester an effective antioxidant with potential health benefits.

Shaanxi Yuantai Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (YTBIO) was established in 2014 and is a global healthcare company headquartered in Xi'an and with a production base in Weinan. We focus on health food ingredients (such as herbal extracts, creatine monohydrate) and cosmetic ingredients (including sponge thorns, retinol, glutathione and arbutin). We work with partners in Europe, the United States, Southeast Asia and South Korea. We have a warehouse in Rotterdam for EU distribution and plan to set up a warehouse in the United States. We prioritize quality and hold certifications such as HACCP, ISO9001, ISO22000, HALAL, KOSHER, FDA, EU&NOP Organic and NMPA. We also assist Korean customers with KFDA registration. Our goal is to establish long-term partnerships through high-quality products and professional services. If you have any questions, please contact sales@sxytorganic.com or +86-029-86478251 / +86-029-86119593.