Used as a labeled tracer in metabolic studies to track the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle) in cellular respiration. The ¹³C isotopic labels at positions 2 and 4 allow researchers to follow the fate of specific carbon atoms during biochemical transformations. This compound is valuable in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) analyses to study metabolic flux in tissues, cells, or microorganisms. It helps in understanding metabolic disorders, energy production pathways, and intermediary metabolism in biomedical and pharmaceutical research.