What Is Freulic Acid?

Where is Ferulic Acid Found?

Ferulic acid is an organic compound called hydroxycinnamic acid.  It is abundant in phenolic phytochemical plant cell wall components called arabinoxylanc, or covalent side chains.  They are also related to transcinnamic acid, a component called lignin that is a precursor to the manufacture of aromatic components.  The etymology of Ferulic acid is the genus Ferula or giant Fennel (Ferula communis).

Occurrence in Nature

The component of asafoetid is a dried latex of the giant fennel (Ferula communis).  It is one of the phenolic compounds of the invasive plant species carpobrotus edalus, which contributes to the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of the plant.

In Food

Ferula seeds can be found in coffee, apples, artichokes, peanuts, oranges, and in both seeds and cell walls of commilinid plants like rice, wheat, oats, and the Chinese water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis/pineapple).  In cereals it is located in bran, or the outer layer in grain.  In wheat, the phenolic compounds are found in the insoluble part that is bound to Ferulic acid that is relevant to the resistance to wheat fungal diseases.  The highest known concentration of Ferulic acid is the glucoside found in flax seed (4.1 +/- 0.2 g/kg.).  It is also found in barley grain.

Asterid Eudicot plants also produce Ferulic acid.  Tea brewed with the leaves of the yacon (Smallanthus Sonchifolius) is a plant which is traditionally grown in the Northern and Central Andes, where the quantities of Ferulic acid.  The tea brewed European Centaury (Centaurium erythraea) is a medical herb that is used in parts of Europe.  Legumes, the white bean variety of navy beans is the richest source of Ferulic acid that is among the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris).  It is also found in horse grams (Macrotyoma uniflorum).  Many source of Ferulic acid found in nature are limited to the base from the present.  Like wheat grain, the Ferulic acid is bound to the cell wall in polysaccharides.  This effect is on the release of absorption in the small intestine.

In Processed Foods

Cooked sweet corn releases increased levels of Ferulic acid.  These plant sterol esters are naturally found in rice bran oil, a popular cooking oil in Asian countries.  Ferulic acid is also a glucoside found in commercial breads containing flax seed.  Rye breads contain the Ferulic acid dehydrodimers.

Metabolism

Biosynthesis is the action of enzyme Caffeate O-methyltransferase, or biosynthesized caffeic acid.  The Ferulic acid, together with the dihydroferulic acid is a component called lignocellulose, a serving of crosslink called lignin, or polysaccharides, which are conferring rigidity cell walls.  The intermediate synthesis of monolignols, or monomers called lignin that is used for the synthesis of lignans.

In biodegradation, the converted strains of yeasts, or strains used in brewing wheat beers (Saccharomyces delbrueckii – Torulaspru_delbrueckii) is a 4-vinyl guaiacol (2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol) that gives beers their Weissbier and Wit distinctive “clove” flavor.  It is also found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or dry baker’s yeast.  These pseudomonas fluorescens are able to convert transferulic acid into 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol.  P. fluorescens are Ferulic acid decarboxylase that is isolated.

Ecology

Ferulic acid is one that is possible in plant compounds that initiate the Argobacterium tumefaciens which infect plant cells.

Extraction

Ferulic acid is extracted from the wheat bran or maize using concentrated alkali.

Bio-medical Considerations

The natural phenols of Ferulic acid are found in the antioxidant in vitro that are reactive toward free radicals like reactive oxygen species (ROS).  The ROS free radicals are implicated in DNA damage, cancer, and accelerated cell aging.  Animal studies of in vitro studies for Ferulic acid may have a direct antitumor activity against breast and liver cancer.  This may be due to the pro-apoptotic effects of cancer cells that lead to destruction, which is effective in preventing cancer that can be induced by the exposure to carcinogenic compounds of benezopyrene or 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide.  These are not randomized controlled trials done on human participants resulting in studies not directly applicable to human use.  Ferulic acid added to the topical preparation of ascorbic acid and Vitamin E reduces the oxidative stress and formation of thymine dimers in skin.  Also, a small amount of research has shown oral supplements of Ferulic acid that inhibit melanin production in the process of skin whitening. 

Other Applications

A precursor to vanillin, a Ferulic acid that is highly abundant in the manufacturing of vanillin, a synthetic flavoring agent that is used in the place of natural vanilla extract.

Mass Spectrometry

It is also used as a matrix for proteins in MALDI mass spectrometry analyses.

Bitterness Masker

Kraft Foods has patented the use of sodium ferulate that masks the better aftertaste of artificial sweetener acesulfame potassium.

Reference

En.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferulic_acid.