ReviewFrontiers in pharmacology2025
Unveiling abietic Acid's therapeutic potential: a narrative review on structure-activity relationship, pharmacological properties, pharmacokinetics, and toxicological considerations.
Review in Frontiers in pharmacology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 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
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Abietic acid targets RAN to restrict coxsackievirus B3 infection.Frontiers in microbiology · 2026Article
- Diterpenoids in medicinal plants: structure, distribution, biological activities, biosynthesis, and bioengineering prospects.Frontiers in plant science · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Abietic acid (AA) is a carboxylic acid and a tricyclic diterpenoid that is found in a variety of coniferous resins. Its promising natural properties have renewed interest in this substance that has been used medicinally for centuries for a range of indications including wounds, inflammation and infections. Extensive preclinical evidence over the past decade also supports its therapeutic properties. This review discusses the structure-activity relationship, pharmacological actions, pharmacokinetics and toxicology of AA. The unique molecular structure of AA, which supports a phenanthrene-like structure, a conjugated diene and carboxylic acid pharmacophore, rationalizes aspects of its wide biological effects. Preclinical research supports potentially significant anti-tumor effects in model systems through ferroptosis and cell cycle arrest, prominent anti-inflammatory activity via COX-2 inhibition and PPARα/γ activation, broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity with antibiofilm effects and hepatoprotective effects via Nrf2/HO-1. Nevertheless, clinical translation is faced with low oral bioavailability, poor aqueous solubility, and high first pass metabolism. New delivery systems such as nanoparticle formulations may hold promise in overcoming these challenges. Although its toxicological profile appears favorable, thorough pharmacokinetic studies and well-designed clinical trials are necessary. This narrative review highlights the novelty of consolidating scattered preclinical data on AA, a lesser-known natural compound in pharmacology, to increase awareness of its multifaceted therapeutic potential. Its utility lies in guiding future research toward optimized derivatives and formulations, potentially bridging traditional medicine with modern therapeutics for conditions like cancer, inflammation, and infections, while identifying key gaps for interdisciplinary efforts.
Indexed as
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.