Ferulic acid is a phenol that has been found in apples and has diverse biological activities.1,2,3,4 It is active against the yeast S. cerevisiae when used at a concentration of 250 ppm and the bacteria E. coli, S. aureus, and B. cereus when used at a concentration of 500 ?g/ml.1,2 Dietary administration of ferulic acid (0.2% w/w) reduces serum total cholesterol levels in a rat model of diet-induced hypercholesterolemia.3 It suppresses benzo(a)pyrene-induced forestomach tumor formation in mice.4
1.Baranowski, J.D., Davidson, P.M., Nagel, C.W., et al.Inhibition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by naturally occurring hydroxycinnamatesJ. Food Sci.45(3)592-594(1980) 2.Herald, P.J., and Davidson, P.M.Antibacterial activity of selected hydroxycinnamic acidsJ. Food Sci.48(4)1378-1379(1983) 3.Sharma, R.D.Effect of hydroxy acids on hypercholesterolaemia in ratsAtherosclerosis37(3)463-468(1980) 4.Wattenburg, L.W., Coccia, J.B., and Lam, L.K.Inhibitory effects of phenolic compounds on benzo(a)pyrene-induced neoplasiaCancer Res.40(8 Pt 1)2820-2823(1980)