Chemical Properties
White to almost white crystalline powder. Insoluble in water, slightly soluble in hot water, easily soluble in benzene, acetone, ether, glacial acetic acid and other organic solvents.
Uses
trans-Cinnamic acid was used to establish library of phenolic compounds by liquid chromatography/ultraviolet and mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry.
Uses
trans-Cinnamic acid is used in flavors, synthetic indigo and pharmaceuticals. It is involved in the production of methyl, ethyl and benzyl esters, which is used in the perfume industry. It serves as a precursor to the sweetener aspartame through enzyme-catalyzed amination to phenylalanine. It is a self-inhibitor produced by fungal spores to prevent germination. In addition, it is used to establish phenolic compounds by liquid chromatography, ultraviolet and mass spectrometry. It is utilized as a potential agent, thereby preventing lung tumor cells from metastasizing. Further, it induces intracellular release of calcium ions from the vacuole to the cytoplasm in order to trigger phytotoxicity in cucumber.
Definition
ChEBI: Cinnamic acid is a monocarboxylic acid that consists of acrylic acid bearing a phenyl substituent at the 3-position. It is found in Cinnamomum cassia. It has a role as a plant metabolite. It is a member of styrenes and a member of cinnamic acids. It is a conjugate acid of a cinnamate.
General Description
trans-Cinnamic acid is an α,β-unsaturated aromatic acid that can be used as a flavoring agent. It is mainly used to prepare ester derivatives that are used in perfume industry.
trans-Cinnamic acid is the key volatile components of cinnamon essential oil.
Flammability and Explosibility
Not classified
Biological Activity
Many studies have demonstrated that trans-Cinnamic acid (CA) has a wide range of pharmacological activities for various diseases, including metabolic and inflammatory diseases. CA has been shown to decrease lipid synthesis and increase fatty acid oxidation, thereby reducing the lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells and the liver of db/db mice
[1].
Biochem/physiol Actions
trans-cinnamic acid has inhibitory effect on phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced invasion of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. It is a potential agent which can prevent lung tumor cells from metastasizing. It induces intracellular release of Ca2+ from the vacuole to the cytoplasm which triggers phytotoxicity in cucumber.
Purification Methods
Crystallise the acid from *benzene, CCl4, hot water, water/EtOH (3:1), or 20% aqueous EtOH. Dry it at 60o in vacuo. It is steam volatile. [Beilstein 9 IV 2002.]
References
[1] Jia, K., Shi, P., Zhang, L., Yan, X., Xu, J., & Liao, K. (2025). Trans-cinnamic acid alleviates high-fat diet-induced renal injury via JNK/ERK/P38 MAPK pathway. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 135, Article 109769.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2024.109769
