Gallic acid

Gallic Acid is a trihydroxybenzoic acid, a type of phenolic acid, that is found in various plants and foods. It is a white crystalline powder that is soluble in water and alcohol. Gallic acid is used in the manufacture of ink and dyes, and as a standard for determining the phenol content of various analytes by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay.

History

Gallic acid was first isolated from gallnuts by the Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele in 1786. It was named after the Latin word for gallnuts, galla. The French chemist and pharmacist Henri Braconnot was the first to synthesize gallic acid from tannin in 1818.

Sources

Gallic acid is found in a variety of plants and foods, including oak bark, witch hazel, tea leaves, blackberries, and walnuts. It is also found in the leaves and bark of plants in the Sumac family, and in the galls produced by the insect Cynips gallae tinctoriae on oak trees.

Uses

Gallic acid has a wide range of uses. It is used in the manufacture of ink and dyes, and as a standard for determining the phenol content of various analytes by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay. It is also used in the production of pyrogallol, a photographic developer.

In medicine, gallic acid is used as an astringent, and has been used to treat psoriasis and hemorrhoids. It has also been studied for its potential anti-cancer properties.

Health Effects

Gallic acid has been studied for its potential health benefits. It has antioxidant properties, and may help to protect against oxidative stress and inflammation. It has also been studied for its potential anti-cancer properties, but more research is needed in this area.

See Also

• Tannin
• Phenolic acids
• Folin-Ciocalteu assay