| Abstract | Hydroxycinnamic acids including caffeic acid are major phenolic secondary metabolites in plants involved in growth and metabolism regulation as well as response to pathogen challenges. Caffeic acid is broadly distributed in several species of plant kingdom and is widely consumed in human diet. Caffeic acid and derivatives have been extensively studied revealing a broad spectrum of biological activities in different species. In addition to the antioxidant activity of caffeic acid, this molecule has been indicated as an inhibitor of number of proteins conserved across distinct species. This chapter will focus on the effect of caffeic acid and several targeted derivatives on lipoxygenases. Lipoxygenases (LOXs) are enzymes involved in peroxidation of lipids to bioactive lipid mediators such as leukotriene. LOXs are significant and highly conserved enzymes in eukaryotes with known function in metabolism of plant, fungal and mammalian cells. LOX inhibitory potential of caffeic acid has therefore major relevance to public health as well as agriculture and environment. This chapter is aimed at summarizing the current knowledge of the inhibition of LOXs by caffeic acid and its application as well as potential in human health and agriculture. In addition to reviewing literature on LOX inhibition we will provide analysis of the LOX protein conservation in highly distinct species and present computational illustration of pan-eukaryotic LOX inhibition by caffeic acid and its derivatives. © 2015 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. |
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