Acetic Acid

Summary

Acetic Acid (CHEMBL539) is an approved small molecule (ATC S02AA10) targeting FFAR2 and FFAR3; indicated across 4 conditions including drug-induced liver injury and injury.

At a glance

• Status: Approved (max clinical phase 4)
• Modality: Small molecule
• ATC class: S02AA10 (+1 more)
• Targets: 2 (FFAR2, FFAR3)
• Indications: 4 conditions
• Clinical trials: 49
• Chemistry: 60.05 Da · C2H4O2

Identifiers

Drug identity and classification

Field	Value
ChEMBL ID	CHEMBL539
Name	Acetic Acid
Type	Small molecule
Max phase	4
FDA approved	yes
PubChem CID	176
ChEBI	CHEBI:15366
ATC	S02AA10, G01AD02
Molecular formula	C2H4O2
Molecular weight	60.05
InChIKey	QTBSBXVTEAMEQO-UHFFFAOYSA-N

SMILES: CC(=O)O

IUPAC name: acetic acid

ChEBI definition: A simple monocarboxylic acid containing two carbons.

Other ChEBI roles (chemical / environmental): protic solvent, food acidity regulator, antimicrobial food preservative, Daphnia magna metabolite.

Also known as: Acetasol, Acetic, Acetic acid, Acetic acid component of acetasol hc, glacial, Acetic acid component of orlex hc, Acetic acid component of tridesilon, Acetic acid component of vosol hc, Acetic acid glacial, diluted, glacial component of tridesilon, Aceticum acidum

Parent form; salt/anhydrous children: CHEMBL4297336

Patent coverage: 1,462,546 distinct patent families (3,621,057 SureChEMBL compound mentions), from 3 matched compound structure(s). One matched structure accounts for 3,620,774 (100%) of the total. Mentions count patents naming the compound (not distinct inventions), so promiscuous / reference molecules inflate the mention figure — families are the dedup metric.

Targets

Targets

Primary targets (GtoPdb curated mechanism): the Cancer dependency column is the DepMap CRISPR fitness signal (% of screened cell lines dependent on the target).

Gene	Target	Action	pAffinity	Cancer dependency	UniProt
FFAR2	FFA2 receptor	Full agonist	4.6	3.6%	O15552
FFAR3	FFA3 receptor	Full agonist	3.9		O14843

Broader ChEMBL bioactivity targets: 3 (assay-derived). Sample: Tyrosine-protein kinase Fyn, Tyrosine-protein kinase Lck, Free fatty acid receptor 3.

Bioactivity

ChEMBL activities: 3 potent at pChembl ≥ 5 of 4 total. Top 30 by potency (10 = 0.1 nM, 6 = 1 µM):

Target	pChembl	Type	Value	Unit	Activity ID
LCK	6.19	Kd	640	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_281774
FYN	6.05	Kd	900	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_281775
LCK	5.89	Kd	1300	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_281776

Target pathways

Aggregated over 2 target gene(s): FFAR2, FFAR3.

Top Reactome pathways

2 total, by targets touching each:

Pathway	Targets	Genes
G alpha (q) signalling events	2	FFAR2, FFAR3
Free fatty acid receptors	2	FFAR2, FFAR3

Dominant GO biological processes

GO term	Targets
mucosal immune response	2
positive regulation of cytokine production involved in immune response	2
positive regulation of acute inflammatory response to non-antigenic stimulus	2
G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway	2
positive regulation of chemokine production	2
cellular response to fatty acid	2
regulation of peptide hormone secretion	2
immune system process	2
inflammatory response	2
signal transduction	2
leukocyte chemotaxis involved in inflammatory response	1
regulation of acute inflammatory response	1
cell surface pattern recognition receptor signaling pathway	1
phospholipase C-activating G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway	1
lipid storage	1

Indications & clinical

Indications

4 indications (1 at ChEMBL trial phase 4). Phase below is the highest clinical-trial phase recorded for this drug against each disease — not the molecule’s overall approval status (that is in the Summary).

Indication	Trial phase	MONDO	EFO
drug-induced liver injury	3	MONDO:0005359	EFO:0004228
injury	1	MONDO:0021178	EFO:0000546

2 further indication records had no mapped disease name (EFO/MeSH-only) or were duplicates, and are omitted.

Clinical trials

Total trials: 49.

Phase distribution

Phase	Trials
Not specified	31
PHASE4	4
PHASE3	4
PHASE1	4
PHASE2	3
EARLY_PHASE1	3

Top trials by phase / activity

NCT	Phase	Status	Title
NCT00718289	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Citrate- Versus Acetate-Based Dialysate in Bicarbonate Haemodialysis: Consequences on Haemodynamics, Coagulation, Acid-Base Status and Electrolytes
NCT02103660	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Clinical Trial on the Effects of Progestin-based Contraception in the Genital Tract of HIV-infected and Uninfected Women
NCT05505435	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Continuation of Subcutaneous and Intramuscular Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate in Post-abortion Patients
NCT05705115	PHASE4	UNKNOWN	Acetated Ringer´s Solution in Experimental Hypovolemia
NCT06297967	PHASE3	RECRUITING	Acetic Acid 2% Solution for Skin Ulcers
NCT00962156	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Scandinavian Starch for Severe Sepsis/Septic Shock Trial
NCT01475643	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Loteprednol vs Prednisolone for the Treatment of Intraocular Inflammation Following Cataract Surgery in Children.
NCT02336620	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Balanced Salt Solution VS. Normal Saline Solution in Septic Shock
NCT05247268	PHASE2	RECRUITING	Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone Agonist (GnRHa) Plus Letrozole In Young Women With Early Endometrial Cancer
NCT01296152	PHASE2	COMPLETED	Pharmacokinetic Interactions Between DMPA and LPV/r Among HIV-Infected Women
NCT04992026	PHASE2	COMPLETED	The Efficacy and Safety of Prostatectomy for Castration-Naive Oligometastatic Prostate Cancer
NCT00755924	PHASE1	COMPLETED	Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating the Impact of Vinegar on High Density Lipoprotein
NCT02806115	PHASE1	UNKNOWN	The Efficacy of Severe Whitening and Delayed Fading in Acetic Acid-enhanced Endoscopy for Diagnosing Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia
NCT02876796	PHASE1	COMPLETED	Study to Evaluate the Pharmacodynamic Effects of a Single Oral Dose of GS-0976 (NDI-010976) in Healthy Adult Subjects
NCT04711486	PHASE1	COMPLETED	Evaluation of Safety of Contraloid Acetate in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment Due to Alzheimer’s Disease
NCT02420665	EARLY_PHASE1	COMPLETED	Use of High-Resolution Microendoscopy (HRME) in Patients With Cervical Dysplasia
NCT03395756	EARLY_PHASE1	COMPLETED	Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate as Emergency Contraception
NCT04795856	EARLY_PHASE1	WITHDRAWN	Understanding the Metabolic and Functional Derangement of Primary Mitral Regurgitation: a Feasibility Study Using Carbon 11(C-11) Acetate Cardiac Positron Emission Tomography Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PET-MRI)
NCT06184464	Not specified	RECRUITING	Prostatic Size Reduction Following of Leuprorelin Acetate
NCT07163936	Not specified	NOT_YET_RECRUITING	Analysis of the Influence of Dialysis Fluid Composition on Vascular Calcification in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease Undergoing Hemodialysis
NCT07373327	Not specified	NOT_YET_RECRUITING	Vinegar vs Normal Saline Dressing for Diabetic Foot Ulcers
NCT00439101	Not specified	COMPLETED	A Randomized Clinical Trial of Megestrol Acetate as an Appetite Stimulant in Malnourished Children With Cancer
NCT01279317	Not specified	COMPLETED	Vinegar Co-ingestion in Type 2 Diabetes
NCT01595334	Not specified	UNKNOWN	Study on Influence of Leutinizing Hormone (LH) on Oocyte Maturity
NCT01757379	Not specified	COMPLETED	Determination of the Bioavailability of Short Chain Fatty Acids in Healthy Humans
NCT02015195	Not specified	COMPLETED	Effective Treatments for Jellyfish Stings
NCT02169063	Not specified	WITHDRAWN	Carbon-11 Acetate and Fluorine F 18 Sodium Fluoride PET as a Biomarker of Treatment Response in Patients With Hormone Resistant Metastatic Prostate Cancer
NCT02231385	Not specified	UNKNOWN	Acetic Acid Colonoscopy Enhancement Study
NCT02309424	Not specified	COMPLETED	The Effect of Vinegar on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Subjects With Impaired Glucose Tolerance or Type 2 Diabetes
NCT02335372	Not specified	COMPLETED	Cervical Cancer Screening Study in Brazil
NCT02407392	Not specified	COMPLETED	Using Dilute Vinegar to Find Changes in Cells During Endoscopy for Patients With Barrett’s Oesophagus (The ABBA Study)
NCT02542150	Not specified	COMPLETED	Effects of Acetate and Alcohol on Brain Function
NCT02563847	Not specified	COMPLETED	Effect of Amino Acids and Sugar Alcohols on Gastric Emptying and Release of Satiation Peptides in Humans
NCT02649140	Not specified	UNKNOWN	Effect of Vinegar Consumption on 24-hour Urinary Risk Factors Associated With Stone Formation
NCT02800772	Not specified	COMPLETED	Impact of Intraduodenal Acetic Acid Infusion on Pancreatic Duct Cannulation During Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography: a Double-blind, Randomized Controlled Trial
NCT03092908	Not specified	UNKNOWN	Mature Vinegar Prophylaxis Against Recurrent Calcium Oxalate Nephrolithiasis
NCT03383185	Not specified	COMPLETED	Metabolic Profile of Users of Hormonal and Non-hormonal Contraceptives
NCT03577834	Not specified	COMPLETED	The Effect of Vinegar Consumption on Visceral Fat and Blood Glucose Concentration
NCT03775590	Not specified	TERMINATED	The Role of Bathing Additives in the Treatment of Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis
NCT04120259	Not specified	COMPLETED	Effect of Apple Cider Vinegar and Metformin Combination vs Metformin Alone in Type 2 Diabetics

Clinical evidence (CIViC)

No CIViC predictive evidence (expected for non-precision-medicine drugs).

Pharmacology

Pharmacogenomics

No CPIC/DPWG dosing guideline or drug-level clinical/variant annotations in PharmGKB for this molecule.

Related molecules

Related molecules

Molecules sharing ≥1 of this drug’s curated primary targets, merged from two biobtree sources and ranked by shared-target count, then clinical phase: ChEMBL clinical-stage candidates (development phase ≥2) and PubChem drug-class bioactivity (approved / known drugs acting on the target). Deduplicated by drug name; the drug’s own salt forms are excluded. Note: for a drug with few primary targets a shared-target match can reflect off-target / promiscuous binding rather than the same therapeutic mechanism — the phase ordering surfaces bona-fide therapeutics first.

5 molecules share ≥1 primary target. Top 5 by shared-target count:

Molecule	Source	Status	Shared targets
valeric acid	PubChem	Approved	FFAR2, FFAR3
BUTYRIC ACID	ChEMBL	Phase 2	FFAR3
GLPG-0974	ChEMBL	Phase 2	FFAR2
PROPIONIC ACID	ChEMBL	Phase 2	FFAR3
SODIUM BUTYRATE	ChEMBL	Phase 2	FFAR3