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# Ferulic acid helps prevent gamma-radiation induced DNA damage
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/ferulic_acid_radiation_damage_0929120515/
- Published: 2012-09-29T18:14:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:12:41.000Z
- Description: Researchers at India's Bhabha Atomic Research Centre gave mice ferulic acid before or right after gamma irradiation and saw fewer micronuclei, fewer DNA strand breaks and less gamma-H2AX foci formation, plus 2.5-fold better survival at doses up to 6 Gy.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Supplements, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

By Jimmy Downs

Saturday Sept 29, 2012 ([foodconsumer.org](http://www.foodconsumer.org/)) - - Ionizing radiation like gamma-radiation damages DNA and cause mutations that can lead to the development of various cancers. Ferulic acid supplements may help reduce the damage to DNA induced by exposure to gamma radiation, according to a new study in Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals.

D.K. Maurya and T.P. Devasagayam at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai, India conducted the study and found that prior to or after exposure to gamma-radiation, immediate administration of ferulic acid can significantly reduce the radiation-induced DNA damage.

Ferulic acid (FA), a monophenolic phenylpropanoid found in plant products like rice bran, green tea, and coffee beans, is well known for its antioxidant properties. The compound is often used in skin care products to have a protective effect against damage to the skin by UVB rays and cancer as some vendors claim. The ferulic acid supplement can also be taken orally.

In the current study, researchers intraperitoneally injected ferulic acid in mice at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight one hour prior to or immediately after the whole-body is treated with 4 Gy of γ-radiation. The ferulic acid treatment considerably reduced the micronuclei formation in peripheral blood reticulocytes.

Likewise, administration of the same amount of ferulic acid immediately after 4 Gy γ-irradiation significantly decreased the amount of DNA strand breaks, which can lead to mutations and carcinogenesis, in peripheral blood leukocytes and bone marrow cells.

Additionally, ferulic acid treatment inhibited the γH2AX foci formation. γH2AX foci is an indication of lethal DNA lesions.

Ferulic acid treatment was also found to increase the survival odds by 2.5 fold in mice that were exposed to up to 6 Gy of gamma-radiation although it did not help when the radiation dosage was greater than 6 Gy.

The researchers concluded ferulic acid "has protective potential in both pre- and postirradiation exposure scenarios and enhances the survival of mice possibly by decreasing DNA damage as examined by γH2AX foci, micronuclei formation, and comet assay."

The dosages used in the study are fairly large. Breast cancer patients may receive a total of 50 Gy radiation to treat the disease. This means that ferulic acid is very effective in reducing the DNA damage.

Other studies have shown vitamin C can help reduce the radiation-induced DNA damage when a large dose is used orally and or by IV injection. A recent study showed that Japanese nuclear plant workers who took vitamin C supplements and or received IV injected vitamin C before they rushed to the radioactive workplaces suffered less severe DNA damage in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.