Dihydrocaffeic Acid

Dihydrocaffeic acid, also known as 3,4-dihydroxyphenylpropionic acid, is a white crystalline powder, soluble in methanol, ethanol, DMSO and other organic solvents. It comes from eucommia, Salvia miltiorrhiza, artichoke, Atractylodes macrocephala and Senecio longituba, and has strong antioxidant activity.

In a study published online in the journal Nature Communication, scientists described an extensive analysis of new grape derived compounds, dihydrocaffeic acid (DHCA) and sunflower pigment-3-o-glucoside (mal Gluc), which may be therapeutic drugs for depression. The results show that these natural compounds can reduce depression by targeting newly discovered potential mechanisms.

The researchers found that DHCA and mal Gluc can promote the resilience of mouse depression model by regulating inflammation and synaptic plasticity. DHCA reduces interleukin-6 (IL-6), an inflammatory substance secreted by T cells and macrophages, and stimulates immune response by phenotypic regulation of the noncoding sequence of IL-6 gene. Mal Gluc regulates histone acetylation of Rac1 gene and allows transcriptional activators to enter the brain to increase transcriptional DNA, which affects the expression of genes responsible for synaptic plasticity. The researchers used a combination of DHCA and mal Gluc to simultaneously inhibit peripheral inflammation, regulate synaptic plasticity of the brain, and jointly optimize the performance of anti chronic stress depression.

These new natural grape derived polyphenols, targeting inflammatory related cellular and molecular pathways, may be an effective way to treat patients with depression and anxiety, which will affect many people.