Ferulic acid makes up part of lignocellulose. This substance occurs in the cell walls of plants, mainly in leaves and seeds. Ferulic acid acts as an antioxidant, bonding with free radicals in the human body. Some studies suggest that ferulic acid could play a role in tackling certain cancers or degenerative conditions. However, at the time of publication, ferulic acid isn't used in any significant way in foods, supplements or alternative treatments.
Ferulic Acid
Ferulic acid is a naturally occurring substance in plant material. For example, oats, rice and seeds contain lots of ferulic acid. Some alternative medicine manufacturers now offer ferulic acid in the form of supplement pills. However, despite ferulic acid's common occurrence in foods, dosage and uses for ferulic acid are unclear. Some health stores claim that ferulic acid could play a role in preventing various types of cancer. This is an unproven claim.
Antioxidant
As an antioxidant, ferulic acid will pair with molecules called free radicals. Left untouched, free radicals in the body look for molecules to bond with, often bonding with molecules in cell walls and damaging the cell in the process. In a 1992 report published in "Free Radical Biology and Medicine" scientists classed ferulic acid as having "potent antioxidant potential." This is partly because it bonds easily with free radicals to create stable phenoxy radicals.
Actions
The National Institute for Biochemical Information's PubChem website lists a variety of possible actions for ferulic acid. These actions don't necessarily reflect current uses but suggest areas where ferulic acid could have some application. For example, ferulic acid may act as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. That means it could help reduce infection -- though no scientific studies support human use. Similarly, ferulic acid could stimulate bile production in the liver.
Skin Cancer
A 2005 report published in the "Journal of Investigative Dermatology" suggests that ferulic acid may have some use as a topical cream for skin conditions. In particular, researchers found that a ferulic acid topical doubles skin's photoprotection -- the ability to repel the damage done by UV light in sun rays. That could help prevent both aging effects from the sun and skin cancer. However, this hypothesis has yet to be tested in laboratory conditions or on a large human sample.
