Ferulic Acid: A Review of Mechanisms of Action, Absorption, Toxicology, Application on Wound Healing

Ferulic acid is a widely distributed phenolic substance with diverse bioactive properties, which has been widely used in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries. Wounds are complex skin lesions to treat and their treatment is long and costly. This encourages the search for alternative treatments, especially in the area of bioactive substances of natural origin. AIMS: This work aims to make a bibliographic survey on studies of the use of ferulic acid in the treatment of wounds. RESULTS: The studies found show that ferulic acid acts through different mechanisms of action such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, collagen production, angiogenic, and reepithelialization effects. These properties act synergistically in different stages of healing, which differentiates it from conventional treatments. In addition, ferulic acid has dermal absorption, low skin metabolism, and low toxicity. CONCLUSION: Studies in this area are recent and further research is needed to expand the possibilities and therapeutic efficiency of ferulic acid in wound healing.