ReviewJournal of toxicology2022
Toxicity of Usnic Acid: A Narrative Review.
Review in Journal of toxicology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed.
- Lichen-Derived Bioactive Compounds in Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risk: Experimental Evidence, Mechanisms, and Translational Challenges.Biomedicines · 2026Review
- Antifungal and Profungal Potentials of Acetone-Extracted Complexes of Lichen Substances on MacromyceteMolecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Applications of (+) Usnic Acid Modulate Antioxidant Enzymatic Activity in Strawberry Plants.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Unveiling Lichen's Hidden Arsenal Against Multidrug Resistance: A Systematic Review of Their Essential Oils, Volatile Compounds and Extracts with Antimicrobial Applications.Microorganisms · 2026Review
- A New Trichlorinated Xanthone and Compounds Isolated fromPharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Integrated analysis of usnic acid as a potential inhibitor of dengue NS2B/NS3 protease: DFT, molecular docking, MEP, ADMET, and drug-likeness evaluation.Biotechnologia · 2026Article
- Comprehensive Evaluation of Usnic Acid as a Potential Drug Candidate for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Insights from Transcriptomic, Proteomic, and In Vivo Analyses.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- A Mechanistic Insight into the Anti-Staphylococcal Mode of Action of (+)-Usnic Acid and Its Synergy with Norfloxacin Against Methicillin-ResistantBiomolecules · 2025Article
- In vitro, in vivo and in silico anticancer activity and toxicity of Usnic acid extracted from the mycobiont culture of Usnea baileyi.Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology · 2025Article
- Hepatocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells: Towards establishing anCurrent research in toxicology · 2025Article
- Multifaceted Properties of Usnic Acid in Disrupting Cancer Hallmarks.Biomedicines · 2024Review
- BRAF inhibitor candidate molecule usnic acid might use both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis.Turkish journal of medical sciences · 2024Article
- Usnic Acid-Loaded Magnetite Nanoparticles-A Comparative Study between Synthesis Methods.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Critical Assessment of the Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Usnic Acid and Its Derivatives-A Review.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- Safety in Rats of a Novel Nasal Spray Formulation for the Prevention of Airborne Viral Infections.Pharmaceutics · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Usnic acid (UA) is a dibenzofuran derivative naturally present in lichens, organisms resulting from the symbiosis between a fungus and a cyanobacterium, or an alga. UA shows antimicrobial, antitumor, antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory as well as UV-protective activities. Its use as pharmacological agent is widely described in traditional medicine, and in the past few years, the product has been marketed as a food supplement for the induction of weight loss. However, the development of severe hepatotoxicity in a limited number of subjects prompted the FDA to issue a warning letter, which led to the withdrawal of the product from the market in November 2001. Data published in literature on UA toxicology, genotoxicity, mutagenesis, and teratogenicity have been reviewed, as well as the case reports of subjects who developed hepatotoxicity following oral administration of UA as a slimming agent. Finally, we reviewed the most recent studies on the topical use of UA, as well as studies aimed at improving UA pharmacologic activity and reducing toxicity. Indeed, advancements in this field of research could open the possibility to reintroduce the use of UA as therapeutical agent.
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.