Lupulone is a beta-acid that has been found in the hop plant,H. lupulus, and has diverse biological activities, including antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticarcinogenic properties.^1,2,3Lupulone is active againstB. subtilisandS. aureus(MICs = 1 and 1.2 µg/ml, respectively), as well asT. b. bruceiandL. m. mexicana(IC₅₀s = 0.9 and 4.7 µg/ml, respectively).^1,2It scavenges 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals in a cell-free assay and inhibits lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenates (IC₅₀s = 25 and 39 µM, respectively).⁴It reduces proliferation, migration, and capillary tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) when used at concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 50 µg/ml.⁵Lupulone (40 µg/ml) activates the extrinsic apoptotic death pathway in SW480 and SW620 colon cancer cells.³

1.Teuber, M., and Schmalreck, A.F.Membrane leakage in Bacillus subtilis 168 induced by the hop constituents lupulone, humulone, isohumulone and humulinic acidArch. Mikrobiol.94(2)159-171(1973) 2.Bocquet, L., Sahpaz, S., Bonneau, N., et al.Phenolic compounds from Humulus lupulus as natural antimicrobial products: New weapons in the fight against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Leishmania mexicana and Trypanosoma brucei strainsMolecules24(6)1024(2019) 3.Lamy, V., Roussi, S., Chaabi, M., et al.Lupulone, a hop bitter acid, activates different death pathways involving apoptotic TRAIL-receptors, in human colon tumor cells and in their derived metastatic cellsApoptosis13(10)1232-1242(2008) 4.Tagashira, M., Watanabe, M., and Uemitsu, N.Antioxidative activity of hop bitter acids and their analoguesBiosci. Biotechnol. Biochem.59(4)740-742(1995) 5.Siegel, L., Miternique-Grosse, A., Griffon, C., et al.Antiangiogenic properties of lupulone, a bitter acid of hop conesAnticancer Res.28(1A)289-294(2008)