Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester

**Semantic type:** Organic Chemical|Pharmacologic Substance

**Definition:** The phenethyl alcohol ester of caffeic acid and a bioactive component of honeybee hive propolis, with antineoplastic, cytoprotective and immunomodulating activities. Upon administration, caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) inhibits the activation of nuclear transcription factor NF-kappa B and may suppress p70S6K and Akt-driven signaling pathways. In addition, CAPE inhibits PDGF-induced proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells through the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha and subsequent induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1).

**Synonyms:** - 2-Phenylethyl 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-propenoate - 3-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-2-propenoic Acid, 2-Phenylethyl Ester - CAFFEIC ACID PHENETHYL ESTER - CAPE