Single step natural poly(tannic acid) particle preparation as multitalented biomaterial

•Natural antioxidant and antibacterial particles derived from tannic acid•Poly(tannic acid) (p(TA)) particles as biocompatible and degradable carrier•P(TA) as an effective anticancer capability against A549 cancerous cell•P(TA) particle as active agent carrier with fluorescent property

In this study, we report the preparation of poly(tannic acid) (p(TA)) particles by crosslinking with glycerol diglycidyl ether (GDE) and trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether (TMPGDE). The p(TA) particles are negatively charged as obtained by the zeta potential measurements, − 27 mV. P(TA) particles are found to be an effective antioxidant material as 170 mg L− 1 of p(TA) particle demonstrated the antioxidant equivalency of 82.5 ± 7.2 mg L− 1 of gallic acid (GA), used as standard in Folin–Ciocalteau (FC) method. Additionally, TA and p(TA) particles have a strong antimicrobial effect against Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, and Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633. Furthermore, p(TA) particles were used as drug delivery materials by using model drugs such as TA itself, and GA in the release studies in PBS at pH 7.4 at 37.5 °C, and found that p(TA) particles can release 80.8 and 87.4% of the loaded TA and GA, respectively. Interestingly, p(TA) maintained its fluorescent property upon crosslinking of TA units. It is further demonstrated that p(TA) particles are as effective as cisplatin (a cancer drug) against A549 cancerous cells that both showed about 36 and 34% cell viability, respectively whereas linear TA showed 66% cell viability at 37.5 μg mL− 1 concentration. Above this concentration p(TA) and cisplatin showed almost the same toxicity against A549 cancerous cells. Additionally, p(TA) particles are found to be much more biocompatible against L929 Fibroblast cells, about 84% cell viability in comparison to linear TA with about 53% at 75 μg mL− 1 concentration.

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