Anacardic acid, isolated from cashew shells or several other medicinal plants, is the general name given to a family of four different 6-alkyl salicyclic acids having varying degrees of unsaturation in the 15-carbon alkyl chain. These compounds are associated with anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, molluscicidal, and anti-microbial activity. Literature frequently sites and gives the name anacardic acid to the completely-saturated compound (6-pentadecyl salicylic acid). Anacardic acid inhibits the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity of the transcription co-activators p300 and p300/CREB-binding protein-associated factor (PCAF) with IC50 values of 8.5 and 5 μM, respectively. At 25 μmol/L, anacardic acid suppresses NF-κB activation, inhibits IκB-α phosphorylation, and prohibits p65 nuclear translocation in KBM-5 cells.
