What does shikimic acid do

Shikimic acid is an unsaturated carboxylic acid containing multiple hydroxyl groups. It is odorant acid and white powder at room temperature. Insoluble in chloroform, benzene and petroleum ether; Melting point is between 185℃ and 191℃. Shikimic acid has weak acidity and can react with a variety of active bases, basic oxides, metals and salts (carbonate and bicarbonate) to form unstable salts. It also has the properties of polyol and ene, can take place in the molecular dehydration reaction, can also take place with bromine addition reaction; Under certain conditions, it can be esterified with oxygen-containing acid or alcohol. Shikimic acid can be obtained in a variety of ways. It can be extracted from the fruit of star anise, artificially synthesized through chemical synthesis, or synthesized using engineered microbial bacteria.

Shikimic acid's efficacy

As an important pharmaceutical chemical raw material, shikimic acid can be used in the treatment of a variety of diseases:

1. Antibacterial and anti-tumor

Shikimic acid derivatives have antibacterial and antitumor effects. In 1987, Japanese scholars found that the analogue of glyoxalase ⅰ inhibitor synthesized from methyl shikimate had significant inhibitory effect on hela cell line and Ashili asitoneal carcinoma, and could prolong the survival time of mice inoculated with leukemia cell LINE L1210 with relatively low toxicity, and its inhibitory effect was mainly related to thihydride reaction. In 1988, a shikimic acid derivative was synthesized by Chinese scholars and proved that the compound could inhibit leukemia cells L1210 in vitro.

2. Anti-thrombosis

Shikimic acid and its derivatives have effects on cardiovascular system such as anti-thrombosis and inhibition of platelet aggregation. The results showed that shikimic acid had a strong inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation in the middle cerebral artery embolization model rats induced by adenosine diphosphate. Both intravenous and intramuscular administration of shikimic acid prolonged blood coagulation time in mice.

3. Anti-cerebral ischemia

Shikimic acid and its derivatives can ameliorate cerebral ischemia, mainly by reducing the volume of cerebral infarction after focal cerebral ischemia, reducing neurological function score, alleviating cerebral edema, and increasing cerebral blood flow in ischemic area. Studies have shown that its derivatives can reduce the degree of erythrocyte aggregation and inhibit platelet aggregation after cerebral ischemia, which is beneficial to brain microcirculation.