Quinic Acid Aromatization in the Rat. Urinary Hippuric Acid and Catechol Excretion Following the Singular or Repeated Administration of Quinic Acid

1. Hippuric acid (12·3% of the dose) and catechol (1·0% of the dose) were found as urinary metabolites when (-)-quinic acid (100 mg) was administered orally to rats. Neither protocatechuic acid nor vanillic acid was detected.2. No significant differences in the extent of urinary excretion of hippuric acid and catechol were found when the quinic acid was given at the end of two successive 24-day periods during which the rats were fed a purified diet containing 1% quinic acid.3. Incubation of quinic acid with rat caecal microorganisms resulted in the formation of benzoic acid under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Catechol was not found in these incubates but small amounts of protocatechuic acid were detected when aerobic conditions were employed.