Malate is an organic compound that has several important functions in biological systems. It is a crystalline salt, commonly found as potassium malate or sodium malate, and it is formed by combining malonic acid with an alkali metal. In biochemistry, malate plays a role in the citric acid cycle, where it is produced from oxaloacetate through the action of the enzyme malate dehydrogenase. It also serves as an intermediate in the synthesis of various important biomolecules such as amino acids and nucleotides. Additionally, malate has been found to have several potential health benefits, including antioxidant properties and possible anti-cancer effects.