Antiproliferative Effects of Ferulic Acid on DLD-1 Colorectal Cancer Cells

Objective: The study focused on examining the cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects of ferulic acid (FA) on DLD-1 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells.Methods: The DLD-1 cells were treated with increasing concentrations of ferulic acid (FA) ranging from 7.5 to 120 µM. The MTT test was used to determine cell viability in order to assess the dose-dependent effects of FA on cell proliferation. This experimental approach centered on detecting alterations in metabolic activity as a marker of cytotoxicity after FA treatment.Results: Treatment with FA resulted in a reduction in cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. While lower concentrations (7.5-30 µM) showed no distinct cytotoxic effects, the highest tested concentration of significantly decreased the viability of DLD-1 cells to approximately 40%. These findings indicate that FA exerts a potent, dose-dependent antiproliferative activity, with the estimated IC50 value falling between 60 and 120 µM. Consequently, a clear dose-response relationship was established between FA concentration and tumor cell growth inhibition.Conclusion: Ferulic acid demonstrates a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect on DLD-1 colorectal cancer cells, supporting its potential as a complementary therapeutic agent in colorectal cancer treatment. To clarify the underlying molecular pathways and assess its effectiveness in in vivo models, more research is required.