Pyrogallol is a natural oxidant that can generate superoxide (O
2-) in alkaline solutions through autoxidation to a semiquinone radical.
1 Importantly, the semiquinone radical can react with O
2- in an acidic environment to produce a quinone and H
2O
2.
1 Pyrogallol autoxidation is used in superoxide dismutase activity assays.
1 It can also be used in assays to assess antioxidant capacity.
2,3 Pyrogallol is used in some biological systems as an O
2- scavenger.
4 In other biological systems, it is used as an O
2- generator.
5,6 Pyrogallol effectively scavenges DPPH radical (Item No.
14805) and ABTS
+ in vitro.
7 Pyrogallol is a product of tannin degradation to gallic acid (Item No.
11846) by ruminant microbes and has hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic effects
in vivo.
8