Is Caffeic acid phenethyl ester legal in the United Kingdom?

Did not extend mouse lifespan by the Interventions Testing Program's protocol test at either dose; a 2024 Gehan reanalysis found a 5 percent female median gain at 300 ppm. No clinical trial of CAPE itself has been published in any human population.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester is one of the active constituents of propolis, the resin honeybees use to seal their hives. It is studied in cell culture as an inhibitor of the transcription factor NF-kappa B, and in rodents as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant in models of ischaemia, arthritis and chemical injury.

Mechanism: In cell culture, CAPE completely blocks activation of NF-kappa B by tumour necrosis factor and other inflammatory stimuli in a dose- and time-dependent way, preventing nuclear translocation of the p65 subunit without affecting other transcription factors; reducing agents reverse this, pointing to critical sulfhydryl groups. It also inhibits T cell activation through both NFAT and NF-kappa B.

Regulatory history: Not an approved drug. Sold as a supplement ingredient and as a constituent of propolis. No human clinical trial has been published. The lifespan signal is a Gehan-only reanalysis result in female mice.

Licenses medicines for the UK market. A compound without a marketing authorisation is an unlicensed medicine, which can only lawfully be supplied for human use through a prescriber under the specials scheme, not sold as a research product.

The classification above is the The Longevity Archive reading of Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency listings for Caffeic acid phenethyl ester at the reviewed date, not a legal opinion. Rules change, and importing, prescribing and possessing a compound can each be treated differently. Check the regulator directly before acting on anything here.