Octyl gallate is the ester formed by 1-octanol and gallic acid. It can be used as an antioxidant and preservative to be supplemented to the food. It has been demonstrated to be an effective fungicide being capable of inhibiting the growth of S. cerevisiae and Z. bailii as it can inhibit the fluidity of the cell membrane through acting as a nonionic surface-active agent. It is also capable of killing both DNA and RNA viruses with a relatively moderate cytotoxicity. For example, it has the potential to treat influenza. Octyl gallate also has certain bactericidal activity, being capable of treating the infections associated with enterococci.
