The Natural Compound Hydrophobic Usnic Acid and Hydrophilic Potassium Usnate Derivative: Applications and Comparisons
Hallysson Douglas Andrade de Araújo,
Hianna Arely Milca Fagundes Silva,
José Guedes da Silva Júnior,
Mônica Camelo Pessoa de Azevedo Albuquerque,
Luana Cassandra Breitenbach Barroso Coelho,
André de Lima Aires
Affiliations
Hallysson Douglas Andrade de Araújo
Centro de Biociências-Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Avenida Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, Recife 50670-501, PE, Brazil
Hianna Arely Milca Fagundes Silva
Centro de Biociências-Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Avenida Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, Recife 50670-501, PE, Brazil
José Guedes da Silva Júnior
Centro de Biociências-Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Avenida Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, Recife 50670-501, PE, Brazil
Mônica Camelo Pessoa de Azevedo Albuquerque
Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo Asami (LIKA), Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Avenida Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235 Cidade Universitária, Recife 50670-501, PE, Brazil
Luana Cassandra Breitenbach Barroso Coelho
Centro de Biociências-Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Avenida Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, Recife 50670-501, PE, Brazil
André de Lima Aires
Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo Asami (LIKA), Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Avenida Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235 Cidade Universitária, Recife 50670-501, PE, Brazil
Usnic acid is the best-studied lichen metabolite, presenting several biological activities, such as antibacterial, immunostimulating, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antiparasitic agents; despite these relevant properties, it is a hydrophobic and toxic molecule. In this context, scientific research has driven the development of innovative alternatives, considering usnic acid as a source of raw material in obtaining new molecules, allowing structural modifications (syntheses) from it. The purpose is to optimize biological activities and toxicity, with less concentration and/or response time. This work presents a literature review with an analogy of the hydrophobic molecule of usnic acid with its hydrophilic derivative of potassium usnate, emphasizing the elucidation and structural characteristics, biological activities, and toxicological aspects of both molecules, and the advantages of using the promising derivative hydrophilic in different in vitro and in vivo assays when compared to usnic acid.
