What is Ferulic acid?
Ferulic acid benefits in a wide range of biological activity:
- antioxidant,
- anti-inflammatory,
- antidiabetic,
- antimicrobial,
- antiviral,
- anti cancerogenic,
- hepatoprotective,
- increase sperm viability,
- vasodilatory action
- and much more.
A Powerful Antioxidant in Cosmetics and Food
First and foremost, Ferulic acid supplements have established antioxidative properties. Like other similar phenolic compounds, the Ferulic acid structure can act as one hydrogen donor. Such donors can inhibit any formed free radicals like superoxide and nitric oxide. These reactive molecules could affect proteins, healthy lipids, and nucleic acids promoting skin aging. Due to this, ferulic acid has gained a lot of interest primarily in cosmetics as an anti-aging additive.
Currently, ferulic acid for skin and other cosmetic purposes can be found in anti-aging serums and supplemental forms as well. Most commonly ferulic acid is combined with other antioxidant ingredients like vitamin C creating synergistic effects – each of the compounds is enhancing another. Typically, the ferulic acid serum is used to reduce the formation of wrinkles and fine lines, brown spot formation, uneven skin tone, inflammation, and sagging of the skin.
Antioxidative properties of ferulic acid can also be used in the food industry. Any off-flavors or discoloration, that could be caused by oxidation, can be preserved using ferulic acid. Ferulic acid as a preservative has been used to protect oranges, green peas, bananas, red sea bream, lard and soybean oil, and even biscuits.
Ferulic Acid Anti-carcinogenic Properties
Antioxidative effects of ferulic acid can also inhibit unwanted damaged cell growth i.e. preventing cancer formation. Ferulic acid can scavenge reactive oxygen species. That leads to the protection of lipids, prevention of DNA single-strand rupture, and disruption of biological membranes. Studies in rats showed that ferulic acid was able to counteract nicotine-induced oxidation of lipids possibly preventing the formation of lung cancer.
Another pathway is that ferulic acid stimulates detoxification enzymes that prevent cancer formation. Supplementation with ferulic acid can massively enhance the productivity of those enzymes in your liver, where most of the toxins are broken down subsequently leading to the prevention of gastrointestinal cancer. All of these toxins are metabolized to less dangerous and more water-soluble compounds that your body can easily get rid of.
Other reports also suggest that ferulic acid can decrease side effects caused by chemo- and radiotherapy, reducing inflammation, enhancing natural immune response, and creating synergistic effects with drugs in chemotherapy.
Improve Your Cardiovascular Health
Ferulic acid can positively affect your cardiovascular health as well. Studies on lab animals exhibited effects of lowering high blood pressure. Also, sodium salt of ferulic acid was able to decrease serum lipid that in hand prevents thrombus formation.
Isolation of Ferulic Acid
Ferulic acid is typically obtained from natural sources. In natural sources previously mentioned, ferulic acid can comprise up to 2% of dry weight. Usually, ferulic acid can be found in its free and linked form as well, therefore, prior extraction dry mass is treated with an alkaline solution to free any linked ferulic acid. Then as Ferulic acid solubility is high typical solvent extraction yields ferulic acid as a pure compound. For your convenience, we have already prepared ferulic acid for you to order at our store.