The effect of the phenolic antioxidant ferulic acid on the oxidation of low density lipoprotein depends on the pro-oxidant used.

The action of ferulic acid during the oxidation of LDL has been investigated using both copper ions and the haem protein metmyoglobin as pro-oxidants. The results demonstrate the ability of ferulic acid to act as a pro-oxidant when LDL oxidation is induced by copper at concentrations of the phenolic acid which are protective when the LDL oxidation is mediated by metmyoglobin. The suggested mechanism involves the reduction of Cu2+ to Cu+ by ferulic acid resulting in the production of the ferulic phenoxyl radical.