Sodium hippurate is primarily used in microbiology as a component in culture media to differentiate and identify certain bacteria, particularly those in the Enterobacteriaceae family and Streptococcus agalactiae. It serves as a substrate in biochemical tests, such as the hippurate hydrolysis test, to detect the presence of hippuricase, an enzyme produced by some bacterial species, aiding in its identification in clinical and laboratory settings. Additionally, it is employed in research studies to investigate bacterial metabolism and enzymatic activity. Furthermore, sodium hippurate is utilized in clinical diagnostics for assessing renal function, as it is readily excreted in urine, allowing evaluation of kidney efficiency and the excretory system performance. Its roles in both microbiological identification and diagnostic procedures make it valuable in medical, microbiological, and clinical applications.