Aim <p>The objective of our study was to investigate the apoptotic effect of ferulic acid (FA) on endometrial cancer (EC) cells through the application and analysis of a nanoparticle known as Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks-8 (ZIF-8).</p> Methods <p>FA molecules were coated with ZIF-8 (FA-ZIF-8) and subjected to analysis using several techniques including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV-visible spectroscopy and elemental mapping analysis, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). XTT kit, quantitative real-time PCR, immunocytochemistry, TUNEL, wound healing assay and colonization test was used to determine the apoptotic effects of FA-ZIF-8 on Ishikawa and HEC1B Cells.</p> Results <p>SEM showed that the particles were hexagonal with an average diameter of 250 nm, SERS mapping showed that the particles were distributed in the middle and on the sides, FT-IR spectrum showed the presence of main functional groups and UV spectrum showed maximum absorbance at 215 nm. IC50 dose of FA-ZIF-8 for ishikawa cell was 300,03 μg/mL at 72 h, and for HEC1B cell was 467,56 μg/mL at 72 h. <i>Caspase-3</i> and <i>Bax/Bcl-2</i> gene ratios (2.03 fold in Ishikawa, and 3.53 fold in HEC1B) and apoptotic index (AI) increased (p&lt;0.05), cell proliferation and migration decreased in FA-ZIF-8 groups.</p> Conclusions <p>This study showed that ZIF-8 nanoparticles encapsulating FA could be a therapeutically effective treatment for the EC cells.</p> Graphical Abstract <p>We have applied ferulic acid, which is frequently used in cancer treatment research in recent years, to endometrial cancer by coating it with ZIF-8. Our study showed FA-ZIF-8 can be anticancer effective at low doses. FA-ZIF-8 treatment induced apoptosis in ishikawa and HEC1B cells and decreased proliferation, migration and colonization.</p> <p></p>