Ellagic acid

Light gray solid

Fixed

Poorly in water

Attention

Template: Infobox chemical / molecular formula search available

Ellagic acid (English: Ellagic acid) is a polyphenol. It forms from creamy to light yellow colored crystals. As for other polyphenols could be detected for ellagic acid, a cancer preventive effects in some animal models and human cell cultures.

Occurrence

The highest content of ellagic acid are found in raspberries, strawberries and pomegranates (also in the leaves and seeds). As ellagitannin, also ellagitannins, ellagic acid is up to 1% found in significant concentrations in many plants and trees. Mention may be made raspberry, pomegranate, strawberries, blackberries, walnuts, berries of Commons Wolfberry and many other fruits and nuts. Together with gallic acid, it is found in rosaceous plants.

By acid hydrolysis, the ellagitannin decays including in ellagic acid. Such conditions prevail, for example, in front of the gastrointestinal tract. Free ellagic acid in red wine comes in large part from the wood of the oak phenols. Here the concentration of unbound acid serves as an indicator for the development of a wine in barrique.

Use

Ellagic acid is available for a short time as a dietary supplement in capsule form, as a powder or in liquid form. Dosage recommendations are still unknown. Due to their plant origin, they are classified by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States as safe. Providers of these supplements need their efficacy or safety can not be proved, as long as they do not claim ellagic acid heal a particular disease.