Mandelic acid is an aromatic alpha hydroxy acid with the molecular formula C6H5CH(OH)CO2H. It is a white crystalline solid that is soluble in water and polar organic solvents. It is a useful precursor to various drugs. Since the molecule is chiral, it exists in either of two enantiomers as well as the racemic mixture, known as paramandelic acid. Mandelic acid was discovered while heating amygdalin, an extract of bitter almonds, with diluted hydrochloric acid. The name is derived from the German "Mandel" for "almond". Derivatives of mandelic acid are formed as a result of metabolism of adrenaline and noradrenaline by monoamine oxidase and catechol-O-methyl transferase. Mandelic acid has a long history of use in the medical community as an antibacterial, particularly in the treatment of urinary tract infections. It has also been used as an oral antibiotic, and as a component of 'chemical face peels', along with other alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs).
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