Nordihydroguaiaretic acid
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| Nordihydroguaiaretic acid | |
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| IUPAC name | 4-[4-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)- 2,3-dimethylbutyl]benzene-1,2-diol |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | [500-38-9] |
| PubChem | |
| MeSH | |
| SMILES | CC(CC1=CC(=C(C=C1)O)O) C(C)CC2=CC(=C(C=C2)O)O |
| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | C18H22O4 |
| Molar mass | 302.365 |
| Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references |
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Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) is a potent antioxidant compound found in the long-lived creosote bush. It is believed that NDGA reduces cell damage by free radicals, so under the free-radical theory of aging, could be responsible for the bush's long life. A 1986 study [1] involved feeding female mosquitos NDGA to test the effect on their average life span. While the usual mosquito life span was 29 days, the NDGA-fed mosquitos lived an average of 45 days—an increase of 50 percent.
The plant has been used to treat a variety of illnesses including infertility, rheumatism, arthritis, diabetes, gallbladder and kidney stones, pain and inflammation but its use is controversial. It was widely used during the 1950s as a food preservative and to preserve natural fibers but was later banned after reports of toxicity during the early 1960s. Recently, it has been used as a nutritional supplement, however renal and hepatotoxicity are reported for chronic use of creosote bush and NDGA. [2]
[edit] References
- ^ Richie JP Jr, Mills BJ, Lang CA. "Dietary nordihydroguaiaretic acid increases the life span of the mosquito." Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1986 Oct;183(1):81-5
- ^ Adapted from Arteaga S, Andrade-Cetto A, Cardenas R. "Larrea tridentata (Creosote bush), an abundant plant of Mexican and US-American deserts and its metabolite nordihydroguaiaretic acid." J Ethnopharmacol. 2005 Apr 26;98(3):231-9
