Recent Biological Activity of Ferulic Acid

Abstract

A common ingredient in fruits, drinks, and food products is 4-hydroxycinnamic acid, which is the source of ferulic acid (FA). Scientificevidence has shown that it has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, andantimicrobial properties. Its clinical use, for example, is limited to lowbioavailability and is therefore only useful in treating neurological illnessessuch as Alzheimer's disease, rapid elimination from the gastrointestinaltract after oral treatment, and inadequate translocation across biologicalbarriers, such as the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Consequently, novelnanotechnological strategies are created to control FA's intracellulartransit. This review summarizes twenty years of research on FA'sbiological properties.