Kahweol

Kahweol is a natural diterpene that is isolated from coffee beans.¹ It increases glutathione S-transferase activity in the gut mucosa of mice and, with the diterpene cafestol, induces glutathione S-transferase expression in rat livers.^1,2 Kahweol has anti-inflammatory effects in RAW macrophages, inhibiting LPS-induced nitric oxide and prostaglandin E₂ production (IC₅₀ = 54 and 23 μM, respectively).³ Kahweol also is antiangiogenic, blocking the proliferation of endothelial cells (IC₅₀ = 50 μM) and inhibiting endothelial migration, invasion, and tube formation.⁴ Kahweol is easily oxidized in the presence of air.¹

1.Lam, L.K.T., Sparnins, V.L., and Wattenberg, L.W.Isolation and identification of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate as active constituents of green coffee beans that enhance glutathione S-transferase activity in the mouseCancer Res.42(4)1193-1198(1982) 2.Cavin, C., Holzh?user, D., Constable, A., et al.The coffee-specific diterpenes cafestol and kahweol protect against aflatoxin B1-induced genotoxicity through a dual mechanismCarcinogenesis19(8)1369-1375(1998) 3.Shen, T., Park, Y.C., Kim, S.H., et al.Nuclear factor-κB/signal transducers and activators of transcription-1-mediated inflammatory responses in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages are a major inhibitory target of kahweol, a coffee diterpeneBiol. Pharm. Bull.33(7)1159-1164(2010) 4.Cárdenas, C., Quesada, A.R., and Medina, M.A.Anti-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory properties of kahweol, a coffee diterpenePLoS One6(8)(2011)