FROM NANOTECHNOLOGY THE WAY TO IMPROVE THE MULTI-TARGET ACTIVITIES OF A NATURAL POLYPHENOL: A STUDY INVOLVING GALLIC ACID AND AN ESTER-TYPE BIODEGRADABLE DENDRIMER

Introduction: Gallic acid (GA) is a natural polyphenol endowed with remarkable antioxidant potency and with strong potentials for preventing oxidative degradation in foods and essential oils (EOs), treating diseases triggered by accumulation of radical oxygen species (ROS), oxidative stress (OS) or by antibiotic-resistant infections. Unfortunately, GA poor absorption and fast metabolism limit its clinical application while instability, low compatibility with fats and pro-oxidant counterparts, restrict GA efficiency as a preservative additive. Recently, a hydrophobic GA-esterified dendrimer (GAD) was prepared as a better absorbable and more stable GA reservoir.1 In this study, the positive influence of the ester-type connection of GA to dendrimer on some GA properties, was evaluated and the results reported. Material & Methods: GAD radical scavenging activity and its efficiency in preventing EOs oxidative degradation, inhibiting platelets aggregation, ROS production and multi-resistant Gram+ bacteria growth, were investigated as previously described.1,2,3 Results: in every evaluation, GAD proved to be far more efficient than GA, to work as strong antioxidant without any pro-oxidant action. Conclusion: GAD represents an innovative preservative additive for preventing spoilage of EOs and it is eligible as an alternative therapeutic agent for treating diseases triggered by platelet aggregation, ROS accumulation and for fighting antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.