ABSTRACT
Ferulic acid (FA) is a polyphenolic compound with demonstrated antioxidant capacity. In this study, propionylferulate (PF) was synthesized and characterized using melting point, ultraviolet spectroscopy, Fourier-transforminfrared spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. The propionyl ferulate was comparatively evaluated for antioxidantpotential which included the ability to quench reactive species of 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrazyl-hydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl,nitric oxide, and superoxide anion. In addition, the total antioxidant capacity and membrane stabilizing properties ofthe ferulate were determined. Comparatively, the spectroscopically characterized PF showed superior scavengingcapacity for the DPPH, hydroxyl, and nitric oxide free radicals when compared to FA. On the contrary, PF showed apoor scavenging capacity for superoxide anion radicals. Furthermore, PF showed little or no potential for membranestability. In conclusion, the data suggest that structurally modifying FA to PF improved the antioxidant capacity forseveral free radicals.