Evidence recordApplied to skin
Ferulic Acid
Answer
Small human studies found less UV-related redness and damage markers after four days with complete antioxidant combinations containing ferulic acid.
Check the formulaEvidence grade
Limited
The record is early, small, indirect, mixed or tightly tied to one formulation.
Where it stops
Ferulic acid was never isolated from the vitamin C, vitamin E or phloretin formulas. One human trial had 10 participants, another reported only a small sample, and the widely cited eightfold result came from pig, not human, skin. These formulas may complement sunscreen; they do not replace it.
Sources
Sources · 3
Source 1
J Invest Dermatol, 2005- Design
- Porcine-skin study
- Reported numbers
- 0.5%
- Measured outcome
- formula stability, erythema, sunburn cells, thymine dimers
- Studied formulation
- 15% L-ascorbic acid with 1% alpha-tocopherol, the same formula with 0.5% ferulic acid
Finding
Porcine-skin study: adding 0.5% ferulic acid stabilized the vitamin C and E formula and increased its reported photoprotection from about fourfold to about eightfold. This was pig, not human, skin and did not test ferulic acid alone.
Source 2
J Am Acad Dermatol, 2008- Design
- Human in-vivo study
- Duration
- 4 days
- Measured outcome
- erythema, sunburn cells, thymine dimers, p53, inflammatory cytokines
- Studied formulation
- 15% L-ascorbic acid with 1% alpha-tocopherol and 0.5% ferulic acid, vehicle
Finding
Small human in-vivo study over four days: the complete vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid formula reduced several solar-simulated-radiation damage markers versus vehicle. The abstract did not report the sample size, and ferulic acid was not isolated.
Source 3
J Cosmet Dermatol, 2009- Design
- Randomized human study
- Participants
- 10
- Duration
- 4 days
- Measured outcome
- erythema, sunburn cells, thymine dimers, MMP-9, p53, Langerhans cells
- Studied formulation
- vitamin C with ferulic acid and phloretin, vehicle
Finding
Randomized four-day human study in 10 participants: the complete vitamin C, ferulic acid and phloretin formula reduced several UV-related damage markers versus vehicle. Ferulic acid was not tested alone, and one author was affiliated with L’Oreal USA.