Ferulic acid-loaded drug delivery systems for biomedical applications

Approximately 40% and 90% of the drugs developed and in the developing phase, suffer from poor aqueous solubility, and thereby exhibiting declined oral bioavailability and restricted enteric permeability. Phenolic compounds comprise a collection of phytochemicals, possessing low water solubility, thus limiting their clinical applications. This makes them a classical contender for thorough analysis and application in formulation development. It exhibits several useful pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and neuroprotective. Even though preclinical, clinical, and FDA approval describe the advantages and credibility of trans-ferulic acid; its medicinal applicability as a therapeutic compound is finite owing to low solubility and bioavailability. Nanotechnology-based formulation development scheme is generally applied to overcome biopharmaceutical drawbacks of hydrophobic drugs. The principal objective of this manuscript is to present a review of conventional and novel synthesis mechanisms, structural activity relationship, physicochemical properties, and anticancer impacts of ferulic acid. Finally, we have reviewed various emerging and advanced formulations of ferulic acid. We hope that this review would offer an opportunity for formulation scientists to bridge the preclinical and clinical gaps.