Simon Koma Okwute^1,3*, Henry Omoregie Egharevba² and Alexander Agodi Nduji³

¹Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Veritas University, Bwari, Abuja, Nigeria
²National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Idu, Abuja, Nigeria
³Department of Chemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author: Simon Koma Okwute, Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Veritas University, Abuja, Nigeria.

Received: November 03, 2025; Published: November 28, 2025

Abstract

Vegetable tannins are a diverse group of naturally-occurring polyphenolic compounds found widely in the plant kingdom, notable for their protein-precipitating and leather-tanning properties. First identified in oak bark and galls in the 18th century, tannins have since been extensively studied for their complex chemistry and multifaceted industrial relevance. This work reviews the plant sources, chemical structures, and classifications of vegetable tannins, emphasising their biosynthetic pathways, isolation, and characterization techniques. Special attention is given to hydrolysable tannins, which are more readily extractable and offer significant industrial advantages. The review also highlights the diverse bioactivities of tannins, supporting their applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and leather industries. By consolidating classical and contemporary insights, this work underscores the ongoing relevance and untapped potential of vegetable tannins in sustainable industrial processes, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry.

Keywords: Vegetable Tannins; Sources; Chemical and Biological Characteristics; Industrial Potentials

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Citation

Citation: Simon Koma Okwute., et al. “Sources, Chemical and Biological Characteristics, and Industrial Potentials of Vegetable Tannins: A Scoping Review". Acta Scientific Pharmaceutical Sciences 9.12 (2025): 11-27.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Simon Koma Okwute., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.