In addition to its industrial and food application, vanillin has an antimicrobial activity (1), a reduction effect of the biological mutation (2) and an antitumor action (3).

Vanillin is usually used as a chemical substitute for the taste of vanilla in food for economic reasons, but in the medical field, at established dosages, it acts as a liver protector in subjects (experiments on rats) chronically exposed to Potassium Bromate KBrO3 (4).

It is commonly used as a chemical flavor in cigarettes (5).

Other studies on vanillin (6).

References_______________________________________________

(1) Rakchoy S., Suppakul P., Jinkarn T. Antimicrobial effects of vanillin coated solution for coating paper board intended for packaging bakery products. Asian Journal of Food & Agro-industry. 2009;2(4):138–147.

(2) Imanishi H., Sasaki Y., Matsumoto K., et al. Suppression of 6-TG-resistant mutations in V79 cells and recessive spot formations in mice by vanillin. Mutation Research Letters. 1990;243(2):151–158. doi: 10.1016/0165-7992(90)90038-l.

(3) Ho K., Yazan L. S., Ismail N., Ismail M. Apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of human colorectal cancer cell line HT-29 induced by vanillin. Cancer Epidemiology. 2009;33(2):155–160. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2009.06.003.

(4) Altered hepatic mRNA expression of immune response-associated DNA damage in mice liver induced by potassium bromate: Protective role of vanillin.
Ben Saad H, Driss D, Ben Amara I, Boudawara O, Boudawara T, Ellouz Chaabouni S, Mounir Zeghal K, Hakim A.
Environ Toxicol. 2015 Aug 21. doi: 10.1002/tox.22181.

(5) Flavour chemicals in electronic cigarette fluids.
Tierney PA, Karpinski CD, Brown JE, Luo W, Pankow JF.
Tob Control. 2016 Apr;25(e1):e10-5. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2014-052175.

(6) Effect of vanillin on lipid profile in a model of hyperlipidemia, a preliminary study.
Belagali Y, Ullal SD, Shoeb A, Bhagwath V, Ramya K, Maskeri R.
Indian J Exp Biol. 2013 Apr;51(4):288-91.

Vanillin protects human keratinocyte stem cells against ultraviolet B irradiation.
Lee J, Cho JY, Lee SY, Lee KW, Lee J, Song JY.
Food Chem Toxicol. 2014 Jan;63:30-7. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2013.10.031. Epub 2013 Oct 30.

Vanillin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde), is a phenolic aldehyde, one of the most used aromas in the confectionery field and is often used in cosmetics and as a masking agent in many pharmaceutical formulations.

It is the main component of the bean and the pod of Vanilla planifolia, Vanilla tahitensis and Vanilla pompona.

Due to the scarcity and higher cost of the natural vanilla extract, it is industrially derived from the oxidation of lignin (a wood derivative) (1), then distilled and crystallized or directly from the ferulic acid present in wheat bran ( 2) and rice bran.

The estimated annual consumption worldwide is over 2000 tons (3).

Vanillin is the most essential component of the 200 and more components found in vanilla seeds. Vanillin as such has not shown antioxidant properties, but together with other compounds it has nutraceutical properties and hence its wide use (4).

Vanillin studies

Molecular Formula: C₈H₈O₃

Linear Formula 4-(HO)C₆H₃-₃-(OCH₃)CHO

Molecular Weight: 152.149 g/mol

CAS: 121-33-5  52447-63-9  8014-42-4

UNII: CHI530446X

EC Number: 204-465-2

FEMA Number: 3107

PubChem Substance ID 57654724

MDL number MFCD00006942

Beilstein Registry Number 472792

• 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde
• 4-Hydroxy-m-anisaldehyde
• 3-Methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde
• Vanillaldehyde
• Vanillic aldehyde
• p-Vanillin
• Vanilla
• Lioxin
• 2-Methoxy-4-formylphenol
• 4-Hydroxy-5-methoxybenzaldehyde
• m-Anisaldehyde, 4-hydroxy-
• Protocatechualdehyde, methyl-
• Protocatechualdehyde 3-methyl ether
• vaniline
• Vanillinum
• Oleoresin vanilla
• Vanilla oleoresin
• Zimco
• Benzaldehyde, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-
• 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy-benzaldehyde
• p-Hydroxy-m-methoxybenzaldehyde
• Vanilin
• 4-Formyl-2-methoxyphenol
• Methylprotocatechuic aldehyde

References_______________________________

(1) Highly selective generation of vanillin by anodic degradation of lignin: a combined approach of electrochemistry and product isolation by adsorption.
Schmitt D, Regenbrecht C, Hartmer M, Stecker F, Waldvogel SR.
Beilstein J Org Chem. 2015 Apr 13;11:473-80. doi: 10.3762/bjoc.11.53. eCollection 2015.

(2) Faulds CB, Bartolomé B, Williamson G. Novel biotransformations of agro-industrial cereal waste by ferulic acid esterases. Industrial Crops and Products. 1997;6(3-4):367–374.

(3) Rao S. R., Ravishankar G. A. Vanilla flavour: production by conventional and biotechnological routes. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2000;80(3):289–304. doi: 10.1002/1097-0010(200002)80:360;289::aid-jsfa54362;3.0.co;2-2.

(4) Vanilla--its science of cultivation, curing, chemistry, and nutraceutical properties.
Anuradha K, Shyamala BN, Naidu MM.
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2013;53(12):1250-76. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2011.563879. Review.