Gallotannin promotes cellular death through alteration of redox status

Available anti-cancer agents are beset with various challenges including limited efficacy, non-selectivity, and toxic side effect. These factors underpin the search for more effective alternative from plant materials or natural products. Meanwhile, plant polyphenols including gallotannin have been implicated for diverse medicinal potentials. In the present study, we investigated the toxic effect of gallotannin (GT) on human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231). GT reduced viability of breast cancer cells appreciably with an EC₅₀ value of < 25 μM. The cellular toxicity by GT was found to be dose-dependent. The GT promoted oxidative stress through the generation of ROS. Furthermore, the fluorescence data implicate GT for causing early apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Data lend credence to the medicinal potential of GT and provide additional support towards exploring GT for future biomedical applications essentially in the development of newer and safer alternative anti-cancer agents.