Synthesis of novel polyphenols consisted of ferulic and gallic acids and their inhibitory effects on phorbol ester-induced Epstein-Barr virus activation and superoxide generation

We prepared novel polyphenols which were esters composed of two naturally occurring products, ferulic and gallic acids, and investigated their inhibitory effects on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) activation and superoxide (O-2(-)) generation. Most of these compounds exhibited significant EBV activation suppression at a concentration of 20 muM and in particular, the ester 5f having 2-metyl-1-butyl group showed high activity. The suppressive effects on O-2(-) generation were also observed in most of the esters. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.