Expanding horizons of shikimic acid

Shikimic acid is an industrially important chiral compound used as a key ingredient in formulation of drug Oseltamivir phosphate (Tamiflu) for the treatment of swine/avian flu. The high cost and limited availability of shikimic acid isolated from plants has detained the use of this valuable building block of the drug. It is a versatile compound having many characteristic properties for many synthetic reactions particularly in pharmaceuticals and cosmetic industries. By virtue of being a natural product, the relevant biochemical pathway in microorganisms can be harnessed into fermentation processes to produce shikimic acid. This is an excellent alternative for the sustainable and efficient production of shikimic acid over the tedious and cumbersome process of plant based extraction methods. Various strategies of shikimic acid production are reviewed and an account of comparison of their challenges, promises and restraint is presented. Furthermore, present review attempts to focus on the market trend of shikimic acid due to its high demand with particular emphasis laid on the pandemics of swine flu. This review not only covers the recent advances in shikimic acid production but also highlights the versatile applications and its market scenario. The concluding remarks and its potential as a commercial bulk chemical are discussed in the light of current research.