Used in pharmaceutical research as a metabolic intermediate in the synthesis of bioactive compounds. Shows potential in studies related to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents due to the presence of phenolic and carboxylic functional groups. Investigated for its role in modulating cellular pathways involved in oxidative stress. Also explored as a building block in the development of peptide-based drugs owing to the acetamido and propanoic acid moieties. Its structural similarity to tyrosine derivatives makes it useful in enzyme inhibition studies.