Cinnamic acid (β-Phenylacrylic acid) has potential use in cancer intervention,The concentration causing a 50% reduction of cell proliferation (IC50) ranged from 1 to 4.5 mM in glioblastoma, melanoma, prostate and lung carcinoma cells.

Cinnamic acid 通过在体内改善葡萄糖耐受性并在体外刺激胰岛素分泌来发挥抗糖尿病活性。

Non-obese type 2 diabetes was developed by injecting 90 mg/kg streptozotocin in 2-day-old Wistar pups. Cinnamic acid and cinnamaldehyde were administered orally to diabetic rats for assessing acute blood glucose lowering effect and improvement of glucose tolerance. Additionally, insulin secretory activity of cinnamic acid and cinnamaldehyde was evaluated in isolated mice islets. Cinnamic acid, but not cinnamaldehyde, decreased blood glucose levels in diabetic rats in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Oral administration of cinnamic acid with 5 and 10 mg/kg doses to diabetic rats improved glucose tolerance in a dose-dependent manner. The improvement by 10 mg/kg cinnamic acid was comparable to that of standard drug glibenclamide (5 mg/kg).