Ferulic acid and its therapeutic potential as a hormetin for age-related diseases.
Ferulic acid (FA) is a polyphenol very abundant in vegetables and maize bran. Several lines of evidence have shown that FA acts as a potent antioxidant in vitro, due to its ability to scavenge free radicals and induce a robust cell stress response through the up-regulation of cytoprotective enzymes such as heme oxygenase-1, heat shock protein 70, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and Akt. Furthermore, FA inhibited the expression and/or activity of cytotoxic enzymes including inducible nitric oxide synthase, caspases and cyclooxygenase-2. On this basis, FA has been proposed for the treatment of several age-related diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer. However, although the great abundance of in vitro data, the real efficacy of FA in humans has not been demonstrated so far. New efforts and resources should be transferred to clinical research for the complete evaluation of the therapeutic potential of FA in chronic diseases.
Barone
Eugenio
E
Institute of Pharmacology, Catholic University School of Medicine, Largo Francesco. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy.
Calabrese
Vittorio
V
Mancuso
Cesare
C
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D015595:Skin Aging / Q000187:drug effects
D003373:Coumaric Acids; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; C004999:ferulic acid