esculin

Esculin is a natural hydroxycoumarin glycoside found in horse chestnut and other plants. It is the 6-O-beta-D-glucoside of esculetin. Esculin has been used as a vasoprotective agent to improve capillary permeability and fragility, and it exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential anti-cancer properties[2][3][4][5][8]. Its mechanism of action includes inhibition of catabolic enzymes such as hyaluronidase and collagenase (preserving perivascular connective tissue), direct antioxidant effects, modulation of oxidative stress-related enzyme activities (such as SOD and GSH), attenuation of NF-κB signaling activity, promotion of PPAR-γ nuclear localization[4][5], and inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway in cancer cells[6]. Esculin is also used in microbiology for bacterial identification due to its hydrolysis by certain bacteria[2]. Oral bioavailability is low (~0.62%), but it can be absorbed when applied to open wounds or mucosa[4].

Other names

æsculinaesculin6-beta-glucoside-7-hydroxycoumarin