Chicoric acid is a polyphenol that is derived from caffeic acid. It was discovered in 1958 by two Italian scientists who were studying chicory leaves. You can find chicoric acid in a variety of plants, such as, echinacea, the chicory plant, seagrass, fern, horsetail, basil, and lettuce.
As a polyphenol, chicoric acid, plays a major role in strengthening the immune system and protecting your body from a variety of diseases and illnesses. Chicoric acid has the ability to induce phagocytosis, a physiological process that encourages white blood cells and lymphocytes to attack and destroy pathogens.
It also provides protection against bodily infections like common cold and flu, especially the variety found in echinacea. Although health experts have stated that chicoric acid-rich echinacea should only be consumed when cold and flu symptoms are first beginning to emerge. This is partially due to the fact that chicoric acid fortifies the immune system by boosting the levels of essential chemicals that fortify the immune system, like immunoglobulin, interferon, and other compounds.
This bolstering of the immune system is further aided by chicoric acid’s antioxidant properties. These antioxidant properties stop the oxidation of the body’s cells and collagen and mitigates the penetration of viruses in cells.
Chicoric acid has also been proven to counter age related memory diseases, like Alzheimer’s disease. Studies committed on animals have shown that chicoric acid has the ability to prevent the formation of amyloid plaques. These plaques are toxic clumps that accumulate in the brain and function as early warning signs for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Chicoric acid prevents the build of these plaques by blocking a major neural pathway that is responsible for triggering amyloid plaque accumulation.
The most interesting aspect of chicoric acid though may be that it has the ability to block HIV related enzymes
