Gallic acid is preferentially cytotoxic to cancer cells, and acts as a prooxidant to induce cell death via apoptosis. This research demonstrates a cause-and-effect relationship between production of hydrogen peroxide by gallic acid and its subsequent induction of apoptosis to human oral carcinoma HSC-2 cells. FOX assay shows that gallic acid is a strong generator of H2O2. Depletion of intracellular reduced glutathione (GSH,) was observed in HSC-2 cells exposed to increasing levels of gallic acid. Also, the decrease in intracellular GSH in HSC-2 cells treated with gallic acid was reduced by coexposure with CoCl2. Flow cytometric analyses of HSC-2 cells showed that with increased gallic acid concentration, viable cells decreased while apoptotic and dead cells increased. In the presence of Co2+, the cells were essentially rescued from apoptotic death. The mechanism of apoptotic cell death in HSC-2 cells exposed to gallic acid is via the induction of oxidative stress.

Gallic acid, an inducer of apoptosis to human oral carcinoma HSC-2 cells, as mediated through oxidative stress

245th National Meeting (2013)

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