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Clinical pharmacy PharmD program Third level Phytochemistry-1 (PG-504)

3- Safrole

Safrole is colorless liquid, isolated from the oil of sassafras and star anise by fractional
distillation followed by crystallization after cooling.

Safrole like eugenol isomerise to isosafrole on heating with KOH.

Safrole and isosafrole gave red color with cone.H2SO4.

Safrole and isosafrole are antiseptic and oxidized to heliotrpin (piperonal) which is more
fragrant.

Safrole and heliotropine are used in flavoring and scenting and as insect repellant.

• Safrole and isosafrole are antiseptic and oxidized to heliotrpin (piperonal) which is
more fragrant.
• Safrole and heliotropine are used in flavoring and scenting and as insect repellant.
• Safrol use as a flavor is ristricted and no longer used because its carcinogenicity
to liver and its presence in some medicinally used volatile oils, as nutmeg oil,
became a problem.
• The European Commission on Health and consumer protection assumes safrole to be
genotoxic and carcinogenic.
• Today, safrole is also banned for use in soap and perfumes by the International
Fragrance Association

4- Myristicin :

Occurrence: in oil of Nutmeg “Myristica fragrance”

Isolation: by fractional distillation.
Characters: colourless oil with slight aromatic odour

Identification: On oxidation with KMnO4 gives myristinic acid (definite m.p. 208-210 ºC)

Uses:

1. CNS stimulant

2. Hallucinogenic agent (Dreaming & euphoria & visual distortions)

O O
H CO O H CO O
3
3
KMnO 4

199 COOH

Myristinic acid
Myristicin