Ferulic acid

Last updated
Ferulic acid
Ferulic acid acsv.svg
Ferulic-acid-3D.png
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
(2E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoic acid
Other names
2-propenoic acid, 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-
ferulic acid
3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-propenoic acid
3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acrylic acid
3-methoxy-4-hydroxycinnamic acid
4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid
(2E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-propenoic acid
Coniferic acid
trans-ferulic acid
(E)-ferulic acid
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChEBI
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
DrugBank
ECHA InfoCard 100.013.173 OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
PubChem CID
UNII
  • InChI=1S/C10H10O4/c1-14-9-6-7(2-4-8(9)11)3-5-10(12)13/h2-6,11H,1H3,(H,12,13)/b5-3+ Yes check.svgY
    Key: KSEBMYQBYZTDHS-HWKANZROSA-N Yes check.svgY
  • InChI=1/C10H10O4/c1-14-9-6-7(2-4-8(9)11)3-5-10(12)13/h2-6,11H,1H3,(H,12,13)/b5-3+
    Key: KSEBMYQBYZTDHS-HWKANZROBE
  • COc1cc(ccc1O)/C=C/C(=O)O
Properties
C10H10O4
Molar mass 194.18 g/mol
AppearanceCrystalline powder
Melting point 168 to 172 °C (334 to 342 °F; 441 to 445 K)
0.78 g/L [1]
Acidity (pKa)4.61 [1]
Hazards
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704.svgHealth 2: Intense or continued but not chronic exposure could cause temporary incapacitation or possible residual injury. E.g. chloroformFlammability 1: Must be pre-heated before ignition can occur. Flash point over 93 °C (200 °F). E.g. canola oilInstability 0: Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water. E.g. liquid nitrogenSpecial hazards (white): no code
2
1
0
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

Ferulic acid is a hydroxycinnamic acid; it is an organic compound with the formula (CH3O)HOC6H3CH=CHCO2H. The name is derived from the genus Ferula , referring to the giant fennel ( Ferula communis ). Classified as a phenolic phytochemical, ferulic acid is an amber colored solid. Esters of ferulic acid are found in plant cell walls, covalently bonded to hemicellulose such as arabinoxylans. [2] Salts and esters derived from ferulic acid are called ferulates.

Contents

Occurrence in nature

As a building block of lignocelluloses, such as pectin and lignin, ferulic acid is ubiquitous in the plant kingdom, including a number of vegetable sources. It occurs in particularly high concentrations in popcorn and bamboo shoots. [3] [4] It is a major metabolite of chlorogenic acids in humans along with caffeic and isoferulic acid, and is absorbed in the small intestine, whereas other metabolites such as dihydroferulic acid, feruloylglycine and dihydroferulic acid sulfate are produced from chlorogenic acid in the large intestine by the action of gut flora. [5]

In cereals, ferulic acid is localized in the bran – the hard outer layer of grain. In wheat, phenolic compounds are mainly found in the form of insoluble bound ferulic acid and may be relevant to resistance to wheat fungal diseases. [6] The highest known concentration of ferulic acid glucoside has been found in flaxseed (4.1±0.2 g/kg). [7] It is also found in barley grain. [8]

Asterid eudicot plants can also produce ferulic acid. The tea brewed from the leaves of yacón (Smallanthus sonchifolius), a plant traditionally grown in the northern and central Andes, contains quantities of ferulic acid. In legumes, the white bean variety navy bean is the richest source of ferulic acid among the common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris ) varieties. [9] It is also found in horse grams (Macrotyloma uniflorum).[ citation needed ]

Although there are many sources of ferulic acid in nature, its bioavailability depends on the form in which it is present: free ferulic acid has limited solubility in water, and hence poor bioavailability. In wheat grain, ferulic acid is found bound to cell wall polysaccharides, allowing it to be released and absorbed in the small intestine. [10]

In herbal medicines

Ferulic acid has been identified in Chinese medicine herbs such as Angelica sinensis (female ginseng), Cimicifuga heracleifolia [11] and Ligusticum chuangxiong . It is also found in the tea brewed from the European centaury ( Centaurium erythraea ), a plant used as a medical herb in many parts of Europe. [12]

In processed foods

Cooked sweetcorn releases increased levels of ferulic acid. [13] As plant sterol esters, this compound is naturally found in rice bran oil, a popular cooking oil in several Asian countries. [14]

Ferulic acid glucoside can be found in commercial breads containing flaxseed. [15] Rye bread contains ferulic acid dehydrodimers. [16]

Metabolism

In plants, ferulic acid (right) is derived from phenylalanine (not shown), which is converted to 4-hydroxycinnamic acid (left) and then caffeic acid (center). CaffeicAcIn.png
In plants, ferulic acid (right) is derived from phenylalanine (not shown), which is converted to 4-hydroxycinnamic acid (left) and then caffeic acid (center).

Biosynthesis

Ferulic acid is biosynthesized in plants from caffeic acid by the action of the enzyme caffeate O-methyltransferase. [17] [2]

In a proposed ferulic acid biosynthetic pathway for Escherichia coli , L-tyrosine is converted to 4-coumaric acid by tyrosine ammonia lyase, which is converted to caffeic acid by Sam5, which is then converted to ferulic acid by caffeic acid methyltransferase. [18]

Ferulic acid, together with dihydroferulic acid, is a component of lignocellulose, serving to crosslink the lignin and polysaccharides, thereby conferring rigidity to the cell walls. [19]

It is an intermediate in the synthesis of monolignols, the monomers of lignin, and is also used for the synthesis of lignans.

Biodegradation

Ferulic acid is converted by certain strains of yeast, notably strains used in brewing of wheat beers, such as Saccharomyces delbrueckii (Torulaspora delbrueckii), to 4-vinyl guaiacol (2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol) which gives beers such as Weissbier and Wit their distinctive clove-like flavour. Saccharomyces cerevisiae (dry baker's yeast) and Pseudomonas fluorescens are also able to convert trans-ferulic acid into 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol. [20] In P. fluorescens, a ferulic acid decarboxylase has been isolated. [21]

Ecology

Ferulic acid is one of the compounds that initiate the vir (virulence) region of Agrobacterium tumefaciens , inducing it to infect plant cells. [22]

Extraction

It can be extracted from wheat bran and maize bran using concentrated alkali. [23]

UV-visible spectrum of ferulic acid, with lmax at 321 nm and a shoulder at 278 nm Ferulicacidspectrum.PNG
UV–visible spectrum of ferulic acid, with λmax at 321 nm and a shoulder at 278 nm

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bread</span> Food made of flour and water

Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made foods, having been of significance since the dawn of agriculture, and plays an essential role in both religious rituals and secular culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lignin</span> Structural phenolic polymer in plant cell walls

Lignin is a class of complex organic polymers that form key structural materials in the support tissues of most plants. Lignins are particularly important in the formation of cell walls, especially in wood and bark, because they lend rigidity and do not rot easily. Chemically, lignins are polymers made by cross-linking phenolic precursors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanillin</span> Chemical compound

Vanillin is an organic compound with the molecular formula C8H8O3. It is a phenolic aldehyde. Its functional groups include aldehyde, hydroxyl, and ether. It is the primary component of the extract of the vanilla bean. Synthetic vanillin is now used more often than natural vanilla extract as a flavoring in foods, beverages, and pharmaceuticals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside</span> Antioxidant phytoestrogen

Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) is an antioxidant phytoestrogen present in flax, sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds. In food, it can be found in commercial breads containing flaxseed. It is a precursor of mammal lignans which are produced in the colon from chemicals in foods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chlorogenic acid</span> Chemical compound

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is the ester of caffeic acid and (−)-quinic acid, functioning as an intermediate in lignin biosynthesis. The term "chlorogenic acids" refers to a related polyphenol family of esters, including hydroxycinnamic acids with quinic acid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caffeic acid</span> Chemical compound

Caffeic acid is an organic compound with the formula (HO)2C6H3CH=CHCO2H. It is a yellow solid. Structurally, it is classified as a hydroxycinnamic acid. The molecule consists of both phenolic and acrylic functional groups. It is found in all plants as an intermediate in the biosynthesis of lignin, one of the principal components of biomass and its residues. It is unrelated to caffeine,

<i>p</i>-Coumaric acid Chemical compound

p-Coumaric acid is an organic compound with the formula HOC6H4CH=CHCO2H. It is one of the three isomers of hydroxycinnamic acid. It is a white solid that is only slightly soluble in water but very soluble in ethanol and diethyl ether.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phenylpropanoid</span>

The phenylpropanoids are a diverse family of organic compounds that are biosynthesized by plants from the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine in the shikimic acid pathway. Their name is derived from the six-carbon, aromatic phenyl group and the three-carbon propene tail of coumaric acid, which is the central intermediate in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. From 4-coumaroyl-CoA emanates the biosynthesis of myriad natural products including lignols, flavonoids, isoflavonoids, coumarins, aurones, stilbenes, catechin, and phenylpropanoids. The coumaroyl component is produced from cinnamic acid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lignocellulosic biomass</span> Plant dry matter

Lignocellulose refers to plant dry matter (biomass), so called lignocellulosic biomass. It is the most abundantly available raw material on the Earth for the production of biofuels. It is composed of two kinds of carbohydrate polymers, cellulose and hemicellulose, and an aromatic-rich polymer called lignin. Any biomass rich in cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin are commonly referred to as lignocellulosic biomass. Each component has a distinct chemical behavior. Being a composite of three very different components makes the processing of lignocellulose challenging. The evolved resistance to degradation or even separation is referred to as recalcitrance. Overcoming this recalcitrance to produce useful, high value products requires a combination of heat, chemicals, enzymes, and microorganisms. These carbohydrate-containing polymers contain different sugar monomers and they are covalently bound to lignin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monolignol</span>

Monolignols, also called lignols, are the source materials for biosynthesis of both lignans and lignin and consist mainly of paracoumaryl alcohol (H), coniferyl alcohol (G) and sinapyl alcohol (S). These monolignols differ in their degree of methoxilation of the aromatic ring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diferulic acids</span>

Diferulic acids (also known as dehydrodiferulic acids) are organic compounds that have the general chemical formula C20H18O8, they are formed by dimerisation of ferulic acid. Curcumin and curcuminoids, though having a structure resembling diferulic acids', are not formed that way but through a condensation process. Just as ferulic acid is not the proper IUPAC name, the diferulic acids also tend to have trivial names that are more commonly used than the correct IUPAC name. Diferulic acids are found in plant cell walls, particularly those of grasses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol</span> Chemical compound

2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol is an aromatic substance used as a flavoring agent. It is one of the compounds responsible for the natural aroma of buckwheat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phenolic content in wine</span> Wine chemistry

The phenolic content in wine refers to the phenolic compounds—natural phenol and polyphenols—in wine, which include a large group of several hundred chemical compounds that affect the taste, color and mouthfeel of wine. These compounds include phenolic acids, stilbenoids, flavonols, dihydroflavonols, anthocyanins, flavanol monomers (catechins) and flavanol polymers (proanthocyanidins). This large group of natural phenols can be broadly separated into two categories, flavonoids and non-flavonoids. Flavonoids include the anthocyanins and tannins which contribute to the color and mouthfeel of the wine. The non-flavonoids include the stilbenoids such as resveratrol and phenolic acids such as benzoic, caffeic and cinnamic acids.

Arabinoxylan is a form of the hemicellulose xylan found in both the primary and secondary cell walls of plants which in addition to xylose contains substantial amounts of another pentose sugar, arabinose. The term arabinoxylan usually refers to feruloyl-arabinoxylan from grasses and other commelinids containing moieties of the phenolic ferulic acid that can undergo oxidative coupling forming crosslinks between arabinoxylan chains and with lignin. Whilst arabinose has been found linked to xylan in non-commelinid plants, ferulic acid has not been reported on these and unlike feruloyl-arabinoxylan these arabinoxylans are not monophyletic. The remainder of this article refers to feruloyl-arabinoxylan from cell walls of grasses and other commelinid species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phenolic acid</span> Class of chemical compounds

Phenolic acids or phenolcarboxylic acids are types of aromatic acid compounds. Included in that class are substances containing a phenolic ring and an organic carboxylic acid function. Two important naturally occurring types of phenolic acids are hydroxybenzoic acids and hydroxycinnamic acids, which are derived from non-phenolic molecules of benzoic and cinnamic acid, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naturally occurring phenols</span> Group of chemical compounds

In biochemistry, naturally occurring phenols are natural products containing at least one phenol functional group. Phenolic compounds are produced by plants and microorganisms. Organisms sometimes synthesize phenolic compounds in response to ecological pressures such as pathogen and insect attack, UV radiation and wounding. As they are present in food consumed in human diets and in plants used in traditional medicine of several cultures, their role in human health and disease is a subject of research. Some phenols are germicidal and are used in formulating disinfectants.

<i>Pteris ensiformis</i> Species of fern

Pteris ensiformis, the slender brake, silver lace fern, sword brake fern, or slender brake fern, is a plant species of the genus Pteris in the family Pteridaceae. It is found in Asia and the Pacific.

Tergallic acids are trimers of gallic acid, often found naturally in the form of glycosides. Tergallic acid O- or C-glucosides that can be found in acorns of several Quercus (oak) species. The dehydrated tergallic acid C-glucoside and tergallic acid O-glucoside can be characterised in the acorns of Quercus macrocarpa. Dehydrated tergallic-C-glucoside can be found in the cork from Quercus suber.

<i>p</i>-Coumaric acid glucoside Chemical compound

p-Coumaric acid glucoside is a hydroxycinnamic acid, an organic compound found in commercial breads containing flaxseed.

Catechin-7-<i>O</i>-glucoside Chemical compound

Catechin-7-O-glucoside is a flavan-3-ol glycoside formed from catechin.

References

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