Laidback Al
Well-known member
New source of Tamiflu
25 August 2011
Japanese scientists have discovered a new way of obtaining shikimic acid, the compound needed to make the influenza drug Tamiflu. They found that the acid could be extracted and isolated from the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree using an ionic liquid. . . .
Toyonobu Usuki, from Sophia University, Tokyo, extracted shikimic acid by stirring Ginkgo biloba leaves at 150<sup> </sup> degrees Celsius in an ionic liquid. The ionic liquid dissolved the cellulose, which allowed the shikimic acid to be separated and isolated. Ginkgo biloba is mainly found in China and has a long history in Chinese medicine. . . .
Usuki hopes that his technique will be used commercially. 'The technique is quite simple, but the problem is the cost of building the plants for the extraction-isolation part,' he says. Jordan adds: 'The processing of the used ionic liquid and of the raw material residues must be developed before the technique can be applied in industrial scale processes.' . . .
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2011/August/25081101.asp
hat tip to Carol@SC
25 August 2011
Japanese scientists have discovered a new way of obtaining shikimic acid, the compound needed to make the influenza drug Tamiflu. They found that the acid could be extracted and isolated from the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree using an ionic liquid. . . .
Toyonobu Usuki, from Sophia University, Tokyo, extracted shikimic acid by stirring Ginkgo biloba leaves at 150<sup> </sup> degrees Celsius in an ionic liquid. The ionic liquid dissolved the cellulose, which allowed the shikimic acid to be separated and isolated. Ginkgo biloba is mainly found in China and has a long history in Chinese medicine. . . .
Usuki hopes that his technique will be used commercially. 'The technique is quite simple, but the problem is the cost of building the plants for the extraction-isolation part,' he says. Jordan adds: 'The processing of the used ionic liquid and of the raw material residues must be developed before the technique can be applied in industrial scale processes.' . . .
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2011/August/25081101.asp
hat tip to Carol@SC