Abstract
The authors prepared ferulic acid from rice bran pitch which was discharged in a process of the production of edible oil from rice bran and synthesized ethyl 3- (4-geranyloxy-3-methoxyphenyl) -2-propenoate (EGMP) using ferulic acid. EGMP was found to be a chemopreventive agent toward colon cancer in the rats. The condensation products consisting of ferulic and gallic acids showed strong antioxidative effects. Alkyl ferulates showed antimicrobial activity. Amide derivatives of ferulic acid were recognized as compounds accelerating secretion of insulin. The authors also synthesized nine bisferuloyl-myo-inositols, consisting of ferulic acid and myo-inositol moieties, using four key intermediates. These compounds showed the inhibitory effects on generation of tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbor-13-acetate (TPA) -induced superoxide in differentiated HL-60 cells, the suppressive effects on TPA-induced Esptein-Barr virus activation and the suppressive effects on cyclooxgenase-2 promoter activity. The authors prepared the derivative 42 which has i) a polyoxyethylene chain and methoxy groups on the phenyl rings for metal coordination, ii) aromatic rings for a π-π or CH-π interaction, and iii) carboxylic acids as a hydrogen-bonding moiety.
