Ferulic acid / toxicity Cancer Research Results

FA, Ferulic acid: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Ferulic acid is an antioxidant found in some skin creams and serums.
Foods: popcorn, bamboo, whole-grain rye bread, whole-grain oat flakes, sweet corn (cooked)
Ferulic acid (FA) is a hydroxycinnamic acid abundant in plant cell walls (notably cereals/whole grains) with strong antioxidant and cytoprotective activity. Mechanistically, FA is frequently described as inducing Nrf2/HO-1 antioxidant programs and suppressing NF-κB-linked inflammation, with additional model-dependent anticancer effects (cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis, reduced invasion). Oral exposure is variable because FA is rapidly metabolized (often as conjugates) and bioaccessibility depends on the food matrix.

-Ferulic acid found in dietary strand fractions, especially its free form, has important functions for protecting the human health.
-AChE inhibitor (AD)
-Cooking results in an increase in free ferulic acid quantity and in a reduction in bound ferulic acid quantity.
Bamboo shoots       243.6 mg/100g
Sugar-beet pulp     800 mg/100g
Popcorn             313 mg/100g
Wheat bran	    500–1500mg/100g
Whole wheat flour   100–300mg/100g
            
Type of corn p-coumaric acidferulic acid
   mg/kg, DW mg/kg, DW
Yellow dent 18.9 265
American blue N.D. 927
Mexican blue 1.3 202
white 6.6 2484
Pathway / Target	Modulation by FA / Direction
Aβ aggregation	         ↓ Inhibits fibril formation and destabilizes existing Aβ fibrils 
BACE‑1 & APP	         ↓ Reduces BACE-1 and APP expression; ↑ MMP‑2/‑9 expression promoting Aβ clearance
Tau hyperphosphorylation  Implicitly ↓ through modulation of Ca²⁺/CDK5/GSK3β pathways
Ca²⁺         	         ↓ FA lowers STEP levels via chelation of Ca²⁺, suppressing PP2B → restores synaptic plasticity
(AChE / BChE)	         ↓ Inhibition of AChE (FA IC₅₀~15 µM, derivatives IC₅₀ down to 0.006 µM); also BChE
(MAO‑A/B)	         ↓ Inhibits MAO‑B (derivatives IC₅₀ ~0.3–0.7 µM), reducing ROS
ROS                      ↓ Scavenges ROS, enhances antioxidant enzymes (e.g., catalase), ↓ MDA
(COX‑2, 5‑LOX, NLRP3)	 ↓ Derivatives inhibit COX‑2/5‑LOX; derivative 13a ↓ NLRP3 inflammasome
Iron/Cu²⁺ chelation	 ↓ Metal-induced Aβ aggregation via chelation by FA and derivatives
Autophagy & Aβ clearance  ↗ Suggested promotion of autophagy mechanisms targeting Aβ
Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells TSF Primary Effect Notes / Interpretation
1 Nrf2 → HO-1 / ARE antioxidant response Stress adaptation modulation (context-dependent) Nrf2 ↑; HO-1 ↑; antioxidant defenses ↑ R, G Endogenous antioxidant upshift FA is repeatedly reported to promote Nrf2 nuclear translocation and HO-1 induction; this is one of the most defensible “core” mechanisms.
2 NF-κB inflammatory transcription (COX-2 / iNOS / cytokines) NF-κB ↓; COX-2/iNOS and pro-inflammatory cytokine programs ↓ (reported) Inflammation tone ↓ (tissue protective) R, G Anti-inflammatory signaling Often described as downstream of redox changes and upstream of reduced inflammatory mediators; direction is consistent across many inflammation models.
3 ROS / oxidative stress tone Oxidative stress ↓ (often); ROS direction can vary by tumor model Oxidative injury ↓ P, R, G Redox buffering (context-dependent) FA is classically antioxidant; in tumor systems, effects may be secondary to signaling changes and vary with baseline redox instability.
4 Cell-cycle control (Cyclin D1 / CDK4/6; checkpoints) Cell-cycle arrest ↑ (reported); Cyclin D1 ↓; proliferation ↓ ↔ G Cytostasis Frequently reported as later phenotype-level outcomes; direction and checkpoint phase (G1 vs G2/M) vary by model.
5 Apoptosis (intrinsic caspase-linked; p53 axis in some models) Apoptosis ↑; caspase activation ↑ (reported); p53/p21 ↑ (model-dependent) ↔ (generally less activation) G Cell death execution Apoptosis is commonly observed in cancer models but is not as “signature-direct” as for mitochondrial toxins; best treated as downstream/conditional.
6 MAPK re-wiring (ERK / JNK / p38) MAPK modulation (context-dependent) ↔ P, R, G Signal reprogramming MAPK direction depends on whether FA is acting primarily as anti-inflammatory/anti-stress vs antiproliferative; avoid hard arrows for p38/JNK/ERK unless model-specific.
7 PI3K → AKT (± mTOR) survival axis PI3K/AKT modulation (reported; model-dependent) ↔ R, G Survival/growth modulation Often listed in anticancer summaries; treat as “reported” rather than universal primary mechanism.
8 Invasion / metastasis programs (MMPs / migration) MMPs ↓; migration/invasion ↓ (reported) ↔ G Anti-invasive phenotype Observed as later outcomes (gene expression + phenotype assays) and commonly linked to NF-κB/MAPK context.
9 Radiation/chemo injury mitigation (supportive care framing) Adjunct potential: may reduce treatment-associated oxidative/inflammatory injury (context) Tissue protection ↑ (reported) G Cytoprotection Animal models report radioprotective/anti-inflammatory effects; present as supportive/adjunct rather than standalone anticancer therapy.
10 Bioavailability / metabolism constraint (conjugation; food-matrix dependence) Systemic exposure variable; much appears as glucuronide/sulfate conjugates — — Translation constraint FA is absorbed and rapidly metabolized; “bioavailability” varies widely with food matrix and binding to polysaccharides in grains.

Time-Scale Flag (TSF): P / R / G

  • P: 0–30 min (primary/rapid effects; early redox interactions / rapid signaling shifts)
  • R: 30 min–3 hr (acute stress-response + transcription signaling shifts)
  • G: >3 hr (gene-regulatory adaptation and phenotype-level outcomes)
toxicity, toxicity: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type:
Toxicity
Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
3717- FA,    Neuroprotective Properties of Ferulic Acid in Preclinical Models of Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Literature Review
- Review, AD, NA
*toxicity↓, FA derivatives have been reported to have low toxicity, high biological activity, and high blood-brain barrier permeability.
*BBB↑,
*Aβ↓, anti-Aβ aggregation, antioxidant, antiinflammatory,
*antiOx↑,
*Inflam↓,
*neuroP↑, FA and its derivatives have significant therapeutic effects on animal and cell models of AD, suggesting that they may be potential therapeutic drugs for patients with AD.

3714- FA,    Recent Advances in the Neuroprotective Properties of Ferulic Acid in Alzheimer's Disease: A Narrative Review
- Review, AD, NA
*antiOx↑, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic, thus suggesting it could be exploited as a possible novel neuroprotective strategy.
*Inflam↓,
*neuroP↑, neuroprotective strategy against AD due to its promising antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
*NF-kB↓, inhibition of the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κ B), a key mediator of proinflammatory cytokine signaling pathway, which promotes the synthesis of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), leading to neuroinflammation
*NLRP3↓, also inhibited the NLR pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome
*iNOS↓, A down-regulation by ferulic acid of proinflammatory molecules, such as nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), TNF-α, IL-1β, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1),
*COX2↓,
*TNF-α↓,
*IL1β↓,
*VCAM-1↓,
*ICAM-1↓,
*p‑MAPK↓, Ferulic acid was also able to affect the mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) pathway, by inhibiting the phosphorylation of MAPKs, including p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)
*p38↓,
*JNK↓,
*IL6↓, reduction of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-8) mRNA expression
*IL8↓,
*hepatoP↑, ferulic acid reduces the liver damage induced by acetaminophen
*RenoP↑, renal protective effects by enhancing the CAT activity and PPAR γ gene expression
*Catalase↑,
*PPARγ↑,
*ROS↓, it was able to scavenge free radicals, inhibit the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)
*Fenton↓, inhibit the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through the Fenton reaction, acting as a chelator of metals (i.e., Fe and Cu)
*IronCh↑,
*SOD↑, increasing the activity of the antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzymes
*MDA↓, lowering in the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation marker,
*lipid-P↓,
*NRF2↑, ferulic acid has been found associated to the modulation of several signaling pathways, and to an increased expression of the nuclear translocation of the transcription factor NF-E2-related factor (Nrf2)
*HO-1↑, Particularly, Nrf2 binds the antioxidant responsive element (ARE) in the promoter region of the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene,
*ARE↑,
*Bil↑, production of bilirubin, which acts as an efficient ROS scavenger, in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) under radiation-induced oxidative stress
*radioP↑,
*GCLC↑, HO-1 upregulation, an increased expression of other antioxidant genes, such as glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC), glutamate-cysteine ligase regulatory subunit (GCLM), and NADPH quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1) were induced by ferulic
*GCLM↑,
*NQO1↑,
*Half-Life↝, highest plasma concentration varies greatly depending on the investigated species: it is reached at 24 min and 2 min after ingestion in humans and rats, respectively
*GutMicro↑, ferulic acid esterified forms have been shown to act as a prebiotic, since they stimulate the growth of eubacteria, such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, in the human gastrointestinal tract, so preserving the homeostasis of gut microbiota,
*Aβ↓, ferulic acid was able to inhibit the aggregation of Aβ25–35, Aβ1–40, and Aβ1–42 and to destabilize pre-aggregated Aβ.
*BDNF↑, up-regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene were observed after treatment with ferulic acid
*Ca+2↓, prevented membrane damage, scavenged free radicals, increased SOD activity, and decreased the intracellular free Ca2+ levels, lipid peroxidation, and the release of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2);
*lipid-P↓,
*PGE2↓,
*cognitive↑, highlighted that ferulic administration (0.002–0.005% in drinking water) for 28 days improved the trimethyltin-induced cognitive deficit: an increase in the choline acetyltransferase activity was hypothesized as a possible mechanism of action.
*ChAT↑,
*memory↑, Another study showed that ferulic acid, administered intragastrically (30 mg/kg) for 3 months, improved memory in the transgenic APP/PS1 mice, and reduced Aβ deposits,
*Dose↝, 4-week prospective, open-label trial, in which patients (n = 20) assumed daily Feru-guard® (3.0 g/day), was designed.
*toxicity↓, Salau et al. [130] did not find signs of toxicity of ferulic acid in hippocampal neuronal cell lines HT22 cells, thus concluding that the substance seems to be safe in healthy brain cells


Showing Research Papers: 1 to 2 of 2

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 2

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Total Targets: 0

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress(tgid=1) ⓘ

antiOx↑, 2,   ARE↑, 1,   Bil↑, 1,   Catalase↑, 1,   Fenton↓, 1,   GCLC↑, 1,   GCLM↑, 1,   HO-1↑, 1,   lipid-P↓, 2,   MDA↓, 1,   NQO1↑, 1,   NRF2↑, 1,   ROS↓, 1,   SOD↑, 1,  

Metal & Cofactor Biology(tgid=2) ⓘ

IronCh↑, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis(tgid=4) ⓘ

PPARγ↑, 1,  

Cell Death(tgid=5) ⓘ

iNOS↓, 1,   JNK↓, 1,   p‑MAPK↓, 1,   p38↓, 1,  

Migration(tgid=13) ⓘ

Ca+2↓, 1,   VCAM-1↓, 1,  

Barriers & Transport(tgid=15) ⓘ

BBB↑, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling(tgid=16) ⓘ

COX2↓, 1,   ICAM-1↓, 1,   IL1β↓, 1,   IL6↓, 1,   IL8↓, 1,   Inflam↓, 2,   NF-kB↓, 1,   PGE2↓, 1,   TNF-α↓, 1,  

Synaptic & Neurotransmission(tgid=18) ⓘ

BDNF↑, 1,   ChAT↑, 1,  

Protein Aggregation(tgid=19) ⓘ

Aβ↓, 2,   NLRP3↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance(tgid=21) ⓘ

Dose↝, 1,   Half-Life↝, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers(tgid=22) ⓘ

Bil↑, 1,   GutMicro↑, 1,   IL6↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes(tgid=23) ⓘ

cognitive↑, 1,   hepatoP↑, 1,   memory↑, 1,   neuroP↑, 2,   radioP↑, 1,   RenoP↑, 1,   toxicity↓, 2,  
Total Targets: 48

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: toxicity, toxicity
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells

Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:%  Cells:%  prod#:77  Target#:1025  State#:%  Dir#:1
  wNotes=on  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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