Planta Med 2012; 78 - PI308
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1320995

Anticancer studies of gallotannins from Maple (Acer) Spp

A González-Sarrías 1, T Yuan 1, NP Seeram 1
  • 1Bioactive Botanical Research Laboratory, Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, United States

Gallotannins are hydrolyzable tannins found in higher plants. Here we conducted anticancer and structure activity related studies of twelve gallotannins isolated from sugar (Acer saccharum) and red (Acer rubrum) maple species. The gallotannins, ginnalins A-C and maplexins A-I, differ in the number of galloyl groups connected to a 1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol core. The gallotannins were evaluated for antiproliferative effects against human colon (HCT-116) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cells. While the gallotannins with one galloyl group were not active, those with two galloyls were more active than those with three galloyls (IC50=28–50 vs. 64–112µg/mL). Also, maplexins C-D, which contained two galloyls, induced apoptosis and arrested cell cycle (in S-phase) of the cancer cell lines. Thus, the anticancer effects of maple gallotannins are influenced by the number of galloyl groups and are mediated by apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.