Ferulic acid (FA), an organic UV absorber and free radical scavenger, was intercalated into an inorganic zinc basic salt (ZBS) matrix to prepare a UV screening material. FA molecules were vertically oriented bilayer in the ZBS lattice with an expansion of approximately 22.7 angstroms along the c-axis. The FA-ZBS nanohybrid exhibited a superior UV-A approximately UV-B screening ability and an antioxidant activity that was comparable to that of a pure FA molecule. The in vitro release test showed the biphasic release of the FA molecules from the FA-ZBS nanohybrid that consisted of an initial burst, followed by a slow and sustained release.