Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE)

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a natural phenolic compound and a primary bioactive constituent of honeybee propolis [1, 9]. It is not a biological target but rather a small molecule drug candidate known for its diverse pharmacological properties, including potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor activities [5, 10]. CAPE exerts its effects primarily by inhibiting the activation of the transcription factor Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-κB), which is a master regulator of inflammation and immune responses [7, 11]. Additionally, it has been shown to suppress the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and induce apoptosis in various cancer cell lines while exhibiting minimal toxicity toward normal cells [2, 4]. Despite its significant therapeutic potential in treating inflammatory conditions and malignancies, CAPE's clinical application is currently hindered by its poor water solubility and rapid metabolic degradation in vivo [1, 15].

Other names

Phenethyl caffeatePhenylethyl caffeate2-Phenylethyl (2E)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)acrylateCaffeic acid 2-phenylethyl esterPhenethyl 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)acrylate

Potent and specific inhibition of Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation by preventing the translocation of the p65 subunit to the nucleus and blocking DNA binding; inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase and xanthine oxidase; suppression of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway; induction of apoptosis via mitochondrial pathways and caspase activation.