Method for the extraction of shikimic acid

A method for the extraction of high purity L-Shikimic acid from the fruits of Illicium griffithii and the said process comprising the steps of:

• i. powdering the fruits of illicium griffithii with a wind mill grinder;
• ii. extracting powdered fruit as obtained in step (i) with organic solvent with a soxhlet or soxhlet type apparatus to obtain defatted plant material;
• iii. extracting again defatted plant material as obtained in step (ii) with solvent to obtain defatted and solvent extracted plant material;
• iv. extracting defatted and solvent extracted plant material as obtained in step (iii) with polar solvent to obtain solvent extract;
• v. distillating solvent extract as obtained in step (iv) under pressure in the range of 10 to 100 millibar and at temperature in the range of 30-100° C. to obtain crude shikimic acid;
• vi. dissolving crude shikimic acid as obtained in step (v) in alcohol;
• vii. heating and agitating the slurry as obtained in step (vi) at temperature in the range of 25° C. to the boiling point of the alcohol or to 90° C. for period in the range of 10-120 minutes;
• viii. cooling the solution as obtained in step (vii) at temperature in the range of 0 to −10° C. and maintaining for period in the range of 2 to 6 hours;
• ix. filtering the cooled solution as obtained in step (viii) followed by recrystallizing with aqueous methanol or aqueous acetic acid to obtain pure crystalline shikimic acid.