Description | Chicoric acid is found in the fresh aerial parts of different chicory varieties: green chicory (c.v. "Catalogna"), two red chicory varieties ("radicchio rosso di Chioggia" and "radicchio rosso di Treviso"), and Witloof or Belgian endive. Cichorium sp. L. is a member of the sunflower family, (Asteraceae, Compositae), which also includes globe and Jerusalem artichokes, lettuce, and many ornamental plants. It is indigenous to Europe, western Asia, Egypt, and North America. In popular medicine, Cichorium intybus L. has been used to treat skin disorders, such as gout, because of its antihepatotoxic activity. Animal studies have revealed that preparations from chicory roots can lower serum and liver lipid concentration in rats. Cichorium aqueous extracts from roots and aerial parts have been reported for antibacterial activity. Chicory is used as a vegetable, fresh or cooked, while the ground and roasted roots are widely used for blending with coffee powder. (PMID: 16076140); -Chicoric acid inhibits human immunodeficiency virus type 1 integration in vivo and is a noncompetitive but reversible inhibitor of HIV-1 integrase in vitro. (PMID: 15302207) |