• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.8-16
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• 2017

p-Coumaric acid is an organic compound that is a hydroxyl derivative of cinnamic acid. Due to its multiple biological activities p-coumaric acid has been widely studied in biochemical and cellular systems and is also considered as a useful therapeutic candidate for various neuronal diseases. However, the efficacy of p-coumaric acid on zebrafish developmental regulation has not been fully explored. In this study, therefore, we first investigated the action mechanism of the p-coumaric acid on the zebrafish development in a whole-organism model. p-Coumaric acid treated group significantly inhibited the pigmentation of the developing zebrafish embryos compared with control embryos without any severe side effects. In addition, p-coumaric acid down-regulated more effectively in a lower concentration than the well-known zebrafish's melanogenic inhibitor, phenylthiourea. We also compared the molecular docking property of p-coumaric acid with phenylthiourea on the tyrosinase's kojic acid binding site, which is the key enzyme of zebrafish embryo pigmentation. Interestingly, p-coumaric acid interacted with higher numbers of the amino acid residues and exhibited a tight binding affinity to the enzyme than phenylthiourea. Taken all together, these results strongly suggest that p-coumaric acid inhibits the activity of tyrosinase, consequently down-regulating zebrafish embryo pigmentation, and might play an important role in the reduction of dermal pigmentation. Thus, p-coumaric acid can be an effective and non-toxic ingredient for anti-melanogenesis functional materials.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.506-511
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• 1994

Antimicrobial activity of methanol extract and fraction from mugwort leaves(Artemisia princeps val. orientalis) was investigated for the screening of natural antiwucroblal components. By using agar diffusion method, ethyl acetate(EtOAc) layer fractionated from methanol extract of mugwort leaves showed the highest inhibitory effects against tested microorganisms. The ortho-coumaric acid(200∼600ppm) isolated from EtOAc layer showed strong antibacterial activities for Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella typhimurium. As derivatives of o-coumaric acid, antibacterial activity of para-coumaric acid was 1.2∼1.7 fold higher than that of o-coumaric acid. Three types of coumaric acids strong inhibited the growth of B. subtilis in the culture medium. Growth of S. tyhimurium, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus were effectively inhibited by o-, m- and p-coumaric acids, respectively. Minimum inhibitory dose of p-coumaric acid for B. subtilis was $\100∼200mu\textrm{g}$/paper disk.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1678-1688
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• 2011

The apoptogenic effect of p-coumaric acid, a phenolic acid found in various edible plants, on human acute leukemia Jurkat T cells was investigated. Exposure of Jurkat T cells to p-coumaric acid (50-$150{\mu}M$) caused cytotoxicity and TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL)-positive apoptotic DNA fragmentation along with Bak activation, ${\Delta}{\psi}m$ loss, activation of caspase-9, -3, -7, and -8, and PARP degradation in a dose-dependent manner. However,these apoptotic events were completely abrogated in Jurkat T cells overexpressing Bcl-2.Under these conditions, necrosis was not accompanied. Pretreatment of the cells with the pan-caspase inhibitor (z-VAD-fmk) could prevent p-coumaric acid-induced sub-$G_1$ peak representing apoptotic cells, whereas it failed to block ${\Delta}{\psi}m$ loss, indicating that the activation of caspase cascade was prerequisite for p-coumaric acid-induced apoptosis as a downstream event of ${\Delta}{\psi}m$ loss. FADD- and caspase-8-positive wild-type Jurkat T cell clone A3, FADD-deficient Jurkat T cell clone I2.1, and caspase-8-deficient Jurkat T cell clone I9.2 exhibited similar susceptibilities to the cytotoxicity of p-coumaric acid, excluding an involvement of Fas/FasL system in triggering the apoptosis. The apoptogenic activity of p-coumaric acid is more potent in malignant Jurkat T cells than in normal human peripheral T cells. Together, these results demonstrated that p-coumaric acid-induced apoptogenic activity in Jurkat T cellswas mediated by Bak activation, ${\Delta}{\psi}m$ loss, and subsequent activation of multiple caspases such as caspase-9, -3, -7, and-8, and PARP degradation, which could be regulated by anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.73-77
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• 2015

As an approach to search for chemopreventive agents, we tested p-coumaric acid, 3-methoxy-p-coumaric acid (ferulic acid), and 3,5-dimethoxy-p-coumaric acid (sinapic acid) in B16/F10 melanoma cells. Intracellular melanin contents were determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay and cytotoxicity of the compounds were examined by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. p-Coumaric acid showed inhibitory effect on melanogenesis, but ferulic acid increased melanin content, and sinapic acid had almost no effect on melanogenesis. Treatment with ferulic acid resulted in a 2 to 3 fold elevation in the production of melanin. Correlatively, cell viability decreased in a dose-dependent manner when treated with ferulic acid. However, ferulic acid did not affect the LDH release from the cells. Treatment with sinapic acid resulted in a 50~60% elevation in the release of LDH when treated with a $200{\mu}g/mL$ concentration and showed neither cytostasis nor increase of melanin synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, p-coumaric acid inhibits melanogenesis, ferulic acid induces melanogenesis, and sinapic acid exerts cytotoxic effects in B16/F10 murine melanoma cells. The results indicate that the addition of methoxy groups to p-coumaric acid shows the melanogenic or cytotoxic effects in melanoma cells compared to the original compound. Therefore, this study suggests the possibility that methoxylated p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid can be used as a chemopreventive agent.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.44-49
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• 2000

This study was conducted to assess the allelopathic potentiality of Korea traditional seventy-nine rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars on barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli P. Beauv. var. oryzicola Ohwi) and to identify possible allelopathic compounds from selected rice cultivars, such as Seogandodobyeo, Huadobyeo and Heugbalbyeo. In the straw mixture, Seogandodobyeo showed the greatest inhibition (67.07%) on total emergence percentage. The greatest inhibition on total seedling length and dry weight of barnyardgrass occurred in Huadobyeo (58.32 %) and Heugbalbyeo (81.20%), respectively. An HPLC analysis with nine standard compounds showed that the concentrations and compositions of allelopathic compound depend upon the cultivars. Four compounds including Ο-coumaric acid in Seogandodobyeo extracts, four compounds including p-coumaric acid in Huadobyeo extracts, and seven compounds including Ο-coumaric acid in Heugbalbyeo were detected, respectively. Ο-coumaric acid (0.97 mg/g) in Seogandodobyeo, p-coumaric acid (0.92mg/g) in Huadobyeo and Ο-coumaric acid (1.02 mg/g) in Heugbalbyeo was detected as the highest amounts, respectively. The preliminary identification by HPLC analysis resulted in peaks with retention times close to those of standards which were confirmed with EI/MS. The mass spectra of p-coumaric, and Ο-coumaric acids showed molecular ions (m/z) at 164 and 164, and their base peaks (m/z) at 164 and 118, respectively.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.3017-3021
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• 2013

Coumaroyl dipeptide amide, Coumaric acid-LG-$NH_2$, was prepared successfully using the solid-phase method, and its efficacy as a skin whitening agent was studied. Coumaric acid-LG-$NH_2$ was prepared with Rink-amide resin, and 96.354% of purity was obtained. Using MTT assay and LDH release assay, we found that it exhibited very low cytotoxicity. And, we found that Coumaric acid-LG-$NH_2$ inhibited tyrosinase activity dose-dependently and showed superior tyrosinase inhibitory activity to well-known whitening agent, arbutin. $IC_{50}$ value of Coumaric acid-LG-$NH_2$ was 182.4 ${\mu}M$, and $IC_{50}$ value of arbutin was 384.6 ${\mu}M$. Also, in measurement of melanin contents using B16F1 melanoma cell lines, Coumaric acid-LG-$NH_2$ reduced melanin production induced by ${\alpha}$-MSH statistically significant, and showed superior melanin inhibitory activity to p-coumaric acid or arbutin. In addition, Coumaric acid-LG-$NH_2$ reduced MC1R mRNA expression level. Thus, we concluded that MC1R pathway is the significant pathway of Coumaric acid-LG-$NH_2$, and Coumaric acid-LG-$NH_2$ has great potential to be used as novel whitening agents.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.239-243
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• 1993

Chemical structures of phenolic antioxidative components of defatted Terminalia chebula R. were elucidated by used MS and H-NMR. The results showed that the phenolic antioxidative components were identified as ferulic acid, vanillic acid, p-coumaric acid in free-acid extracts, and caffecic acid, vanillic acid and p-coumaric acid in soluble-acid extracts, and caffeic acid, phloroglucinol and pyrogallol in insoluble-bound extracts, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.396-404
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• 2010

Phenolic compounds, which are products of secondary metabolism, have been demonstrated to be widespread growth substances in plants. The objectives of this study were to identify the phenolic compounds in common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia var. elatior) by HPLC and to evaluate their effects on germination and seedling growth of three weed species. Under controlled conditions in Petri dishes at $25^{\circ}C$, $10^{-3}$ and $10^{-4}$ M solutions of phenolic compounds were evaluated in seed germination tests. Four phenolic compounds (caffeic acid, O-coumaric acid, ${\rho}$-coumaric acid and ferulic acid) in common ragweed plant were identified and their concentration was increased from the stage before flowering through full flowering stage. Treatment of O- and ${\rho}$-coumaric acids delayed the seed germination of Digitalia ciliaris, while the treatment of caffeic acid delayed the seed germination of Echinochloa crus-galli. In time to 50% germination ($T_{50}$), phenolic compounds at $10^{-4}$ M promoted in Cyperus microiria and E. crus-galli but the level of $10^{-3}$ M delayed the $T_{50}$ of those weeds. The O-coumaric acid inhibited seed germination and seedling growth of the tested weeds and especially it perfectly inhibited the root growth of E. crus-galli.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.293-297
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• 2018

Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai leaves contain a mixture of polysaccharides, amino acids, and polyphenols, which mediate various biological activities. For efficient utilization of its leaf, we reported the preparation procedure for phytochemical-rich extract (PRE) using the leaf residue, which was by-product of hot water extraction. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of PRE and its major constituent, p-coumaric acid,on the growth of several human cancer cell lines (MKN-74, MKN-45, SNU-1, SNU-16, and HL-60). The ethyl acetate fraction of PRE and p-coumaric acid significantly inhibited the proliferation of MKN-74 and HL-60 cells, respectively, and induced cell apoptosis, down-regulated Bcl-2 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase levels, and up-regulated those of Bax and caspase-3. These results show the potential utility of S. quelpaertensis Nakai leaves in cancer prevention.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.741-748
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• 2014

This study was conducted to monitor the quality characteristics of Artemisis capillaris ethanolic extract by response surface methodology. The independent variables were extraction temperature ($X_1$; 60, 70, 80, 90, and $100^{\circ}C$), extraction time ($X_2$; 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 hr), and ethanol concentration ($X_3$; 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80%). Soluble solid content ($Y_1$), chlorogenic acid content ($Y_2$), and coumaric acid content ($Y_3$), etc. were analyzed as the dependent variables. Estimated optimal conditions for soluble solids were an extraction temperature of $87.65^{\circ}C$, extraction time of 3.19 hr, and ethanol concentration of 42.40%. The optimal extraction conditions for chlorogenic acid were $84.30^{\circ}C$, 3.14 hr, and 47.85%, respectively. Further, those for coumaric acid were $83.45^{\circ}C$, 3.40 hr, and 45.39%, respectively. Extraction conditions for effective components of Artemisis capillaris were superimposed by response surface plots on optimization extraction condition of each dependent variable, including soluble solid, chlorogenic acid, and coumaric acid contents. As a result, superimposed extraction conditions were $80{\sim}90^{\circ}C$, 3~4 hr, and 40~50%, respectively. Under these conditions, soluble solid, chlorogenic acid, and coumaric acid contents were 1.09%, 25.66 mg%, and 20.25 mg%, respectively.