Research progress of isolation and application of abietic acid

Abietic acid is a product isolated from natural renewable resource rosin. Because rosin is a mixture containing thirteen kinds of resin acid and most of these resin acids are isomers,which results in a similarity of their physical properties,it makes the isolation of abietic acid from rosin a difficult problem. In most cases,abietic acid is used as a mixture form in many industrial fields,and the applications are restricted to some extent. Several major isolation methods of abietic acid are introduced,and the advantages and disadvantages of each method are analyzed. Organic amine salt crystallization is the most feasible method for isolation of abietic acid. Furthermore,the application of abietic acid in synthesizing bioactive substances and the usage of abietic acid in medicine,pesticide and fine chemicals are introduced. Isolating every resin acid from rosin and using them as raw materials to synthesize a series substances and drugs with bioactivity are the emphasis of comprehensive development and utilization of abietic acid in the future.