Urolithin A has good application prospects and biological fermentation is expected to become a new preparation method

Urolithin A, also known as 3,8-dihydroxy-6H-dibenzo[B,D]pyran-6-one, is a natural metabolite found in pomegranate and some other fruits and nuts. Light brown to yellow solid powder, soluble in dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N-dimethylformamide and other organic solvents, slightly soluble in water.

Urolithin A is a substance metabolized by intestinal flora after the human body ingests ellagitannins and ellagic acid. As a mitophagy inducer, urolithin A has the effects of preventing muscle aging, anti-inflammation, anti-proliferation, restoring mitochondria, improving muscle health, and anti-aging. It has broad application prospects in the fields of dietary supplements, cosmetics, medicines, and health care products. . In 2018, the US FDA approved urolithin A for use as a dietary supplement.

With the deepening of research, the application potential of urolithin A has been gradually discovered. In October 2023, Urolithin A completed the registration of new cosmetic raw materials. The registration number is “National Cosmetic Original Registration Number 20230036”, and the registered person is the Swiss company Amarcentis. Urolithin A is used as an anti-wrinkle agent and can be used in skin care cosmetics except spray products. Currently, urolithin A is still in the monitoring period, and relevant companies still need to establish a complete safety risk monitoring and evaluation system.

According to the “2023-2027 China Urolithin A Industry Market Supply and Demand Status and Development Trend Forecast Report released by the Industrial Research Center , there are many urolithin A production companies, but the scale of the companies varies, the quality of urolithin A products is uneven, and the proportion of high-purity products is low. Urolithin A manufacturers include Alfa Chemistry, InvivoChem, Accela ChemBio Inc., Haiwei Chemical, Beijing Bailingwei Technology, Nanjing Chunqiu Biotechnology, Hubei Jusheng Technology, Hubei Wanzhi Chemical, etc. At present, my country has become one of the major producers of urolithin A in the world.

The main preparation method of urolithin A is chemical synthesis. The urolithin A precursor compound and AlCl3 are refluxed and reacted in a chlorobenzene solution overnight. Ice water is added to the reaction mixture to form a precipitate. The water layer is extracted with ethyl acetate and in a vacuum state. The obtained organic layer was concentrated and then purified by silica gel column chromatography. Chemical synthesis methods have problems such as low efficiency and high pollution. Against the background of continuously increasing environmental protection requirements, the market has released demand for new and environmentally friendly preparation processes. The biological fermentation method is safe, efficient and environmentally friendly, and is expected to become a new way to prepare urolithin A. For example, Streptococcus thermophilus FUA329 produces urolithin A by metabolizing ellagic acid.

Industry analysts said that urolithin A has a variety of functions and is used in dietary supplements, medicines, health products, cosmetics and other fields. The application prospects are broad. As a new raw material for cosmetics, urolithin A is still in the monitoring period in my country. However, under the appearance economy, the urolithin A market has broad development space. There are many urolithin A manufacturers. With the iteration of the preparation process and the upgrading of demand, the urolithin A industry will continue to transform towards high efficiency, high purification and environmental protection.