Undecylenic Acid

SALTS OF UNDECYLENIC ACID   UNDECYLENATES

The undecylenic acid 10undecenoic acid an elevencarbon monounsaturated fatty acid is a naturally occurring fatty acid found in the castor oil bean Ricinus communis and as a product of human sweat glands It is produced commercially through the vacuum distillation of castor bean oil and pyrolysis of ricinoleic acid  Since 1949 the undecylenate salts have been used as yeast and mold inhibitors in the food industry and in medicine as topical and systemic antifungals Following are the useful salts of Undecylenic acid

POTASSIUM UNDECYLENATE Potassium Salt of Undecylenic Acid

Potassium salts of fatty acids are commonly called soap salts They are used as insecticides herbicides fungicides and algaecides Some potassium salts of fatty acids are used as multipurpose food additives The Food and Drug Administration FDA classifies them as GRAS generally recognized as safe Potassium salts of fatty acids have been exempt from United States Environmental Protection Agency EPA tolerances for food and feed crops since 1982

Potassium salt formation provides water solubility for the fatty acids These salts are also called as insecticidal soapIt  has also been approved in the United States for use against powdery mildew In the European pesticide registration its use as an insecticide is listed for aphids white fly and spider mitesAt different concentrations it may also be used against algae and moss

Potassium salts of fatty acids can also be fungicidal As with its insecticidal activity fungicidal effects increase with additional carbon chain lengths Greatest toxic effects occur at C10 or C11 then decrease The undecylenic acid 10undecenoic acid an 11 Carbon monounsaturated fatty acid is a naturally occurring fatty acid

Potassium  sodium Undecylenate  is in the form of white powder soluble in water It can also be provided in liquid form

CALCIUM UNDECYLENATE Calcium Salt of Undecylenic Acid

Calcium undecylenate is an extremely effective welltolerated broadspectrum antifungal It is a calcium salt of undecylenic acid UA derived by the vacuum distillation of castor bean oil Its an 11 carbon monounsaturated fatty acid the antifungal properties of a medium chain fatty acid increases as the chain lengthens and peaks at 11  caprylic acid contains only 8 carbon chains Several studies have demonstrated that undecylenic acid is 45 times as powerful an antifungal agent as caprylic acid in the same dosage

Calcium Undecylenate is a White fine powder Practically insoluble in water in ether in alcohol in choloroform in acetone and in cold alcohol slightly soluble in hot alcohol

ZINC UNDECYLENATE Zinc Salt of Undecylenic Acid

Zinc Undecylenate   has been shown to be an effective antifungal agent and is the active ingredient in many topical overthecounter antifungal preparations Undecylenic acid has been shown to be approximately six times more effective in its antifungal action than caprylic acid Undecylenate salts have been shown to possess as much as four times the fungicidal effect of undecylenic acid and may be over 30 times more effective than caprylic acid

The results from in vitro and iv vivo tests proved the strong antifungal activity of zinc undecylenate salts against plant pathogenic fungi

Zinc Undecylenate is a White fine powder Practically insoluble in water ethanol 96 in ether

All these salts ie Potassium  sodium  zinc  calcium salts have a strong antifungal effect and can be very effective plant protection remedy They can be used as insecticides herbicides fungicides and algaecides These salts can be very effectively used in commercial fungicide plant protection formulations and products applicable in organic agriculture and integrated pest management systems