Targeting hypertension through natural phenolics: The multifaceted role of cinnamic acid and its derivatives

Hypertension is a serious global public health problem that significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Its etiology involves inflammatory processes, oxidative stress, and imbalances in blood pressure (BP) regulatory systems. In this context, the search for new therapeutic agents remains a major challenge, highlighting natural compounds such as cinnamic acid (CA) and its derivatives, including caffeic acid (CAF) and ferulic acid (FA). This review aimed to investigate the antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant potential of CA and its derivatives. The phenolic acids analyzed, particularly CA and FA, exhibited greater inhibitory activity on angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), whereas CAF showed lower activity. Furthermore, cinnamic acid and its derivatives increased nitric oxide (NO) production, contributing to vasodilation. Regarding the inflammatory response, studies on phenolic acids demonstrated a reduction in the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α, accompanied by an increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, indicating a relevant anti-inflammatory effect. Similarly, in the antioxidant system, increased levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) were observed, along with a reduction in the pro-oxidant marker malondialdehyde (MDA). Additionally, the DPPH and ABTS assays demonstrated greater free radical scavenging activity for CA, CAF, and FA derivatives. Taken together, these findings suggest that phenolic acids are promising candidates for the treatment of hypertension due to their favorable safety profile, with CA standing out as the main compound with hypotensive effects.