WHAT IS SHIKIMIC ACID?
Shikimic acid is a naturally occurring compound of major industrial significance, best known as a precursor for the antiviral drug Tamiflu. Commercially, it is produced either by fermenting star anise (Illicium verum) or by direct extraction from plant material in quantities reaching hundreds of tons. Beyond its role in Tamiflu manufacture, shikimic acid is widely valued as a chiral building block in organic synthesis because of its intrinsic stereochemistry and versatile carbon framework.
This overview summarizes common methods for isolating shikimic acid from botanical sources and surveys the principal synthetic and microbial routes used to produce it. It also reviews important synthetic transformations and applications — including Tamiflu synthesis from shikimic acid and its derivatives, functional-group manipulations, uses as a biorenewable feedstock, and examples from total synthesis — to illustrate the compound’s broad utility in chemical synthesis.
BASIC INFORMATION
General Information
- Product Name: Star Anise Extract
- Part Used: Star Anise
Item Specification — Physical and Chemical Properties
- Appearance: White powder — Conforms (Visual)
- Particle size: ≥95% through 80 mesh — Conforms (Screening)
- Residue on ignition: ≤1 g/100 g — Result: 0.50 g/100 g (Method: 550°C/4 hrs)
- Loss on drying: ≤5 g/100 g — Result: 3.91 g/100 g (Method: 105°C/2 hrs)
- Identification: Conforms with TLC
- Content: 98% Shikimic acid — Result: 0.9834 (HPLC)
Residue Analysis — Heavy Metals
- Total heavy metals: ≤10 mg/kg — Conforms
- Lead (Pb): ≤1.00 mg/kg — Conforms (ICP-MS)
- Arsenic (As): ≤1.00 mg/kg — Conforms (ICP-MS)
- Cadmium (Cd): ≤1.00 mg/kg — Conforms (ICP-MS)
- Mercury (Hg): ≤0.50 mg/kg — Conforms (ICP-MS)
Microbiological Tests
- Total plate count: ≤1000 cfu/g — Result: 200 cfu/g (AOAC 990.12)
- Total yeast & mold: ≤100 cfu/g — Result: 10 cfu/g (AOAC 997.02)
- E. coli: Negative/10 g — Conforms (AOAC 991.14)
- Salmonella: Negative/10 g — Conforms (AOAC 998.09)
- S. aureus: Negative/10 g — Conforms (AOAC 2003.07)
SHIKIMIC ACID BENEFITS
Anticancer-related activity
Derivatives of shikimic acid have demonstrated bioactivity in oncology-related studies. In 1987, Japanese researchers reported that glyoxalase I inhibitor analogs synthesized from methyl shikimate showed significant inhibitory activity against HeLa cells and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma, and extended survival in mice bearing L1210 leukemia cells; these compounds exhibited relatively low toxicity and their activity was linked to hydrogen sulfide–related mechanisms. In 1988, Chinese researchers synthesized a shikimic acid derivative that inhibited L1210 leukemia cells in vitro.Antithrombotic effects
Shikimic acid and certain derivatives show activity on the cardiovascular system, particularly antithrombotic and antiplatelet-aggregation effects. Experimental studies indicate strong inhibition of ADP-induced platelet aggregation in middle cerebral artery embolism rat models. Both intravenous and intramuscular administration of shikimic acid have been reported to prolong blood coagulation times in mice.Protection against cerebral ischemia
Shikimic acid derivatives have been reported to improve outcomes in models of cerebral ischemia, including reductions in infarct volume after focal cerebral ischemia, improved neurological scores, decreased cerebral edema, and increased blood flow in ischemic brain regions. Some derivatives also reduce red blood cell aggregation and inhibit platelet aggregation following cerebral ischemia, which can improve cerebral microcirculation.
SHIKIMIC ACID USES
- Due to its range of pharmacological activities, shikimic acid and related derivatives are used in health-care and medicinal applications.
- It is also applied in the food industry as a raw material or ingredient in certain food products.
Contact Extracts China:
Email: [email protected]
Hot Tags: shikimic acid, acid shikimic, tamiflu shikimic acid, suppliers, manufacturers, factory, wholesale, buy, price, quotation, bulk, for sale
