Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess: An alternative and promising source of shikimic acid

Abstract Shikimic acid is the starting material for the synthesis of the antiviral oseltamivir phosphate, a front-line combatant against the human influenza A and B viruses. Nowadays, the demand for shikimic acid is met by seeds of Chinese star anise (Illicium verum), which grows exclusively in southern China. In the current work, the Calophyllum brasiliense plant is suggested as an alternative source of natural shikimic acid, which was extracted, purified and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. The presence of shikimic acid in the extract of C. brasiliense was confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry analysis. By using a simple and rapid extraction procedure, we showed that the content of shikimic acid in C. brasiliense leaves is 3.79%. Because C. brasiliense has some additional advantages over Chinese star anise, such as geographical distribution, ecological plasticity, natural regeneration, and versatility regarding large-scale cultivation, it may be a viable and promising source of shikimic acid, with potential industrial uses.