3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid is a water-soluble phenolic acid found in many fruits, vegetables and Chinese herbs. Protocatechuic acid is also an organic acid that is white to brown in appearance as a crystalline powder. 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid is widely used in the medical industry, especially in the prevention of atherosclerosis, where it is more effective. Middle-aged and older adults, the main patients with atherosclerosis, are more likely to develop atherosclerosis than infants and young children. It is recommended that such people consume certain foods that contain 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid as permitted by their doctors in moderation.
3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid can also play beneficial roles in our cardiovascular system. Intravenous 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid reduces coronary resistance, which usually lasts about half an hour, during which blood pressure rises slightly.
When we tested animals with 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, we found that a mixture of 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and protocatechin aldehyde slowly increased blood pressure and dilated blood vessels in the lower extremities, However, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid alone cannot be used to expand zoic acid.
