Basic Info

Common NameSafrole(F05284)
2D Structure
Description

Safrole is found in anise. Safrole occurs in nutmeg. Banned by FDA for use in food. Safrole is formerly used as a food flavour It is a precursor in the synthesis of the insecticide synergist piperonyl butoxide and the recreational drug MDMA (Ecstacy). Safrole is a natural plant constituent, found in oil of sassafras and certain other essential oils. It is a member of the methylenedioxybenzene group of compounds, many of which (e.g. piperonyl butoxide) are extensively used as insecticide synergists. Safrole is a major source of human exposure to safrole is through consumption of spices, such as nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper, in which safrole is a constituent. Safrole is also present in root beer, and has been used as an additive in chewing gum, toothpaste, soaps and certain pharmaceutical preparations. Safrole is a weak hepatocarcinogen and it is a matter of considerable interest whether the ally1 moiety or the methylenedioxy group, or both, are involved in the mechanism of its carcinogenesis. Safrole is extensively metabolized, giving rise to a large number of metabolites. Metabolism involves essentially two major routes, oxidation of the ally1 side chain, and oxidation of the methylenedioxy group with subsequent cleavage to form the catechol. Safrole undergoes oxidation of the allylic group to yield the 2, 3-epoxide (safrole epoxide). The dihydrodiol is one of the metabolites of safrole, and presumably arises from the hydration of the 2, 3-epoxide. The principal route of metabolism of safrole is through cleavage of the methylenedioxy group, the major metabolites being allylcatechol and its isomer, propenylcatechol. Eugenol and its isomer I-methoxy- 2-hydroxy-4-allylbenzene have been detected as minor metabolites in the rat, mouse and man. ; Safrole, also known as shikimol, is a colorless or slightly yellow oily liquid. It is typically extracted from the root-bark or the fruit of sassafras plants in the form of sassafras oil, or synthesized from other related methylenedioxy compounds. It is the principal component of brown camphor oil, and is found in small amounts in a wide variety of plants, where it functions as a natural pesticide. The Ocotea cymbarum[verification needed] oil made of the Ocotea pretiosa[verification needed], a plant growing in Brazil, and sassafras oil made of Sassafras albidum, a tree growing in eastern North America, are the main natural sources for safrole. It has a characteristic candy-shop aroma. Safrole has been shown to exhibit antibiotic and anti-angiogenic functions (A3314, A3315, A3316).

FRCD IDF05284
CAS Number94-59-7
PubChem CID5144
FormulaC10H10O2
IUPAC Name

5-prop-2-enyl-1,3-benzodioxole

InChI Key

ZMQAAUBTXCXRIC-UHFFFAOYSA-N

InChI

InChI=1S/C10H10O2/c1-2-3-8-4-5-9-10(6-8)12-7-11-9/h2,4-6H,1,3,7H2

Canonical SMILES

C=CCC1=CC2=C(C=C1)OCO2

Isomeric SMILES

C=CCC1=CC2=C(C=C1)OCO2

WikipediaSafrole
Synonyms
        
            5-Allyl-1,3-benzodioxole
        
            safrole
        
            94-59-7
        
            Safrol
        
            Shikimole
        
            Shikomol
        
            Safrene
        
            Sassafras
        
            Rhyuno oil
        
            Safrole MF
        
Classifies
                

                  
                    Plant Toxin
                  
                    Pesticide
                  

                
        
Update DateNov 13, 2018 17:07

Chemical Taxonomy

KingdomOrganic compounds
SuperclassOrganoheterocyclic compounds
ClassBenzodioxoles
SubclassNot available
Intermediate Tree NodesNot available
Direct ParentBenzodioxoles
Alternative Parents
Molecular FrameworkAromatic heteropolycyclic compounds
SubstituentsBenzodioxole - Benzenoid - Oxacycle - Acetal - Organic oxygen compound - Hydrocarbon derivative - Organooxygen compound - Aromatic heteropolycyclic compound
DescriptionThis compound belongs to the class of organic compounds known as benzodioxoles. These are organic compounds containing a benzene ring fused to either isomers of dioxole. Dioxole is a five-membered unsaturated ring of two oxygen atoms and three carbon atoms.

Properties

Property NameProperty Value
Molecular Weight162.188
Hydrogen Bond Donor Count0
Hydrogen Bond Acceptor Count2
Rotatable Bond Count2
Complexity167
Monoisotopic Mass162.068
Exact Mass162.068
XLogP3
Formal Charge0
Heavy Atom Count12
Defined Atom Stereocenter Count0
Undefined Atom Stereocenter Count0
Defined Bond Stereocenter Count0
Undefined Bond Stereocenter Count0
Isotope Atom Count0
Covalently-Bonded Unit Count1

ADMET

Model Result Probability
Absorption
Blood-Brain BarrierBBB+0.9846
Human Intestinal AbsorptionHIA+0.9951
Caco-2 PermeabilityCaco2+0.6278
P-glycoprotein SubstrateNon-substrate0.7829
P-glycoprotein InhibitorNon-inhibitor0.7386
Non-inhibitor0.5800
Renal Organic Cation TransporterNon-inhibitor0.8177
Distribution
Subcellular localizationMitochondria0.4824
Metabolism
CYP450 2C9 SubstrateNon-substrate0.8814
CYP450 2D6 SubstrateNon-substrate0.8577
CYP450 3A4 SubstrateNon-substrate0.7118
CYP450 1A2 InhibitorInhibitor0.8554
CYP450 2C9 InhibitorNon-inhibitor0.6333
CYP450 2D6 InhibitorInhibitor0.5435
CYP450 2C19 InhibitorInhibitor0.6493
CYP450 3A4 InhibitorNon-inhibitor0.6972
CYP Inhibitory PromiscuityHigh CYP Inhibitory Promiscuity0.7769
Excretion
Toxicity
Human Ether-a-go-go-Related Gene InhibitionWeak inhibitor0.9024
Non-inhibitor0.9577
AMES ToxicityNon AMES toxic0.9132
CarcinogensNon-carcinogens0.8641
Fish ToxicityHigh FHMT0.9255
Tetrahymena Pyriformis ToxicityHigh TPT0.9883
Honey Bee ToxicityHigh HBT0.7790
BiodegradationReady biodegradable0.6285
Acute Oral ToxicityIII0.8274
Carcinogenicity (Three-class)Warning0.5214

Model Value Unit
Absorption
Aqueous solubility-2.5001LogS
Caco-2 Permeability1.5491LogPapp, cm/s
Distribution
Metabolism
Excretion
Toxicity
Rat Acute Toxicity1.9517LD50, mol/kg
Fish Toxicity0.9028pLC50, mg/L
Tetrahymena Pyriformis Toxicity0.6903pIGC50, ug/L

References

TitleJournalDatePubmed ID
Identification and analysis of the reactive metabolites related to the hepatotoxicity of safrole.Xenobiotica2018 Nov29082813
Determination and risk assessment of naturally occurring genotoxic and carcinogenic alkenylbenzenes in nutmeg-based plant food supplements.J Appl Toxicol2017 Oct28556924
Risk assessment of combined exposure to alkenylbenzenes through consumption of plant food supplements containing parsley and dill.Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess2017 Dec28580843
Level of Alkenylbenzenes in Parsley and Dill Based Teas and Associated Risk Assessment Using the Margin of Exposure Approach.J Agric Food Chem2016 Nov 1627771948
Acaricidal activity of Asarum heterotropoides root-derived compounds and hydrodistillate constitutes toward Dermanyssus gallinae (Mesostigmata: Dermanyssidae).Exp Appl Acarol2016 Apr26708137
Structure-Activity Relationships for DNA Damage by Alkenylbenzenes in Turkey Egg Fetal Liver.Toxicol Sci2016 Apr26719370
Analysis of the essential oil of Illicium henryi Diels root bark and itsinsecticidal activity against Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel.J Food Prot2015 Apr25836404
Quantitation of tr-cinnamaldehyde, safrole and myristicin in cola-flavoured soft drinks to improve the assessment of their dietary exposure.Food Chem Toxicol2013 Sep23845511
Biological reactive intermediates (BRIs) formed from botanical dietary supplements.Chem Biol Interact2011 Jun 3020970412
Physiologically based biokinetic (PBBK) model for safrole bioactivation anddetoxification in rats.Chem Res Toxicol2011 Jun 2021446753
Genotoxic and apoptotic activities of the food flavourings myristicin and eugenolin AA8 and XRCC1 deficient EM9 cells.Food Chem Toxicol2011 Feb21087650
Toxicity of the essential oil of Illicium difengpi stem bark and its constituent compounds towards two grain storage insects.J Insect Sci201122236213
Predicting the hepatocarcinogenic potential of alkenylbenzene flavoring agentsusing toxicogenomics and machine learning.Toxicol Appl Pharmacol2010 Mar 1520004213
Toxicity of Myristica fagrans seed compounds against Blattella germanica (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae).J Med Entomol2007 May17547241
Human cytochrome p450 enzyme specificity for the bioactivation of estragole andrelated alkenylbenzenes.Chem Res Toxicol2007 May17407329
Metabolic activation of herbal and dietary constituents and its clinical and toxicological implications: an update.Curr Drug Metab2007 Aug17691916
Quantification of flavor-related compounds in the unburned contents of bidi and clove cigarettes.J Agric Food Chem2006 Nov 117061837
Genotoxicity and endoreduplication inducing activity of the food flavouringeugenol.Mutagenesis2006 May16595588
Molecular mechanisms of toxicity of important food-borne phytotoxins.Mol Nutr Food Res2005 Feb15635687
Human consumption of methyleugenol and its elimination from serum.Environ Health Perspect2004 May15121510

Targets

General Function:
Zinc ion binding
Specific Function:
Ligand-activated transcription factor. Key regulator of lipid metabolism. Activated by the endogenous ligand 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine (16:0/18:1-GPC). Activated by oleylethanolamide, a naturally occurring lipid that regulates satiety. Receptor for peroxisome proliferators such as hypolipidemic drugs and fatty acids. Regulates the peroxisomal beta-oxidation pathway of fatty acids. Functions as transcription activator for the ACOX1 and P450 genes. Transactivation activity requires heterodimerization with RXRA and is antagonized by NR2C2. May be required for the propagation of clock information to metabolic pathways regulated by PER2.
Gene Name:
PPARA
Uniprot ID:
Q07869
Molecular Weight:
52224.595 Da
References
  1. Sipes NS, Martin MT, Kothiya P, Reif DM, Judson RS, Richard AM, Houck KA, Dix DJ, Kavlock RJ, Knudsen TB: Profiling 976 ToxCast chemicals across 331 enzymatic and receptor signaling assays. Chem Res Toxicol. 2013 Jun 17;26(6):878-95. doi: 10.1021/tx400021f. Epub 2013 May 16. [23611293 ]
General Function:
Zinc ion binding
Specific Function:
Nuclear receptor. Interaction with RXR shifts RXR from its role as a silent DNA-binding partner to an active ligand-binding subunit in mediating retinoid responses through target genes defined by LXRES. LXRES are DR4-type response elements characterized by direct repeats of two similar hexanuclotide half-sites spaced by four nucleotides. Plays an important role in the regulation of cholesterol homeostasis, regulating cholesterol uptake through MYLIP-dependent ubiquitination of LDLR, VLDLR and LRP8. Interplays functionally with RORA for the regulation of genes involved in liver metabolism (By similarity). Exhibits a ligand-dependent transcriptional activation activity (PubMed:25661920).
Gene Name:
NR1H3
Uniprot ID:
Q13133
Molecular Weight:
50395.34 Da
References
  1. Sipes NS, Martin MT, Kothiya P, Reif DM, Judson RS, Richard AM, Houck KA, Dix DJ, Kavlock RJ, Knudsen TB: Profiling 976 ToxCast chemicals across 331 enzymatic and receptor signaling assays. Chem Res Toxicol. 2013 Jun 17;26(6):878-95. doi: 10.1021/tx400021f. Epub 2013 May 16. [23611293 ]