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)