Combination of EGCG & DAPH-12 - a treatment for brain disorders ?

Amyloid plaques are tightly packed sheets of proteins that infiltrate the brain. These plaques, which are stable and seemingly impenetrable, fill nerve cells or wrap around brain tissues and eventually (as in the case of Alzheimer's) suffocate vital neurons or brain cells, causing loss of memory, language, motor function and eventually premature death.

To date, researchers have had no success in destroying plaques in the human brain and only minimal success in the laboratory. One reason for these difficulties in finding compounds that can dissolve amyloids is their immense stability and their complex composition.

Yet, Dr. Duennwald ( Boston Biomedical Research Institute , BBRI) and co workers from Pennsylvania School of Medicine, experienced success in previous studies when he exposed amyloids in living yeast cells to EGCG (see the above structure). Furthermore, he and his collaborators also found before that DAPH-12, (see below structure) too, inhibits amyloid production in yeast.

About EGCG :

Epigallocatechin gallate, also known as Epigallocatechin 3-gallate, is the ester of epigallocatechin and gallic acid and a type of catechin. EGCG is the most abundant catechin in most notably tea, among other plants, and is also a potent antioxidant and that may have therapeutic properties for many disorders including cancer. It is found in green tea, but not black tea, as EGCG is converted into thearubigins in black teas. EGCG can be found in many supplements.

These findings are significant because it is the first time a combination of specific chemicals (EGCG & DAPH-12) has successfully destroyed diverse forms of amyloids at the same time.

Though the detailed mechanism is still to be established, its a good achievement and hope this combinatorial therapy will help those sufferings from Alzheimer's and other degenerative diseases (Huntington's, and Parkinson's) in the days to come.....

Ref : http://www.nature.com/nchembio/journal/v5/n12/pdf/nchembio.246.pdf

Green tea components may help prevent prostate cancer development in at-risk men

In continuation from my update on epigallocatechin

Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer in men and is predicted to result in an estimated 220,00 cases in the United States in 2015. In recent years, an emphasis has been placed on chemoprevention - the use of agents to prevent the development or progression of prostate cancer. A team of researchers led by Nagi B. Kumar, Ph.D., R.D., F.A.D.A. at Moffitt Cancer Center recently published results of a randomized trial that assessed the safety and effectiveness of the active components in green tea to prevent prostate cancer development in men who have premalignant lesions. The results will be presented at the 2015 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago.

Twenty percent of green tea is consumed in Asian countries where prostate cancer death rates are among the lowest in the world and the risk of prostate cancer appears to be increased among Asian men who abandon their original dietary habits upon migrating to the U.S.

Laboratory studies have shown that substances in green tea called, "catechins" inhibit cancer cell growth, motility and invasion, and stimulate cancer cell death. Green tea catechins also prevent and reduce tumor growth in animal models. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant and potent catechin found in green tea responsible for these cancer prevention effects.

The goal of this trial was to evaluate if a one-year intervention with green tea catechins could suppress prostate cancer development in men who had high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) or atypical small acinar proliferation (ASAP). The researchers used decaffeinated green tea capsules called Polyphenon E that contained a mixture of catechins that predominantly contained EGCG at a dose of 200 mgs twice a day.

Green tea components may help prevent prostate cancer development in at-risk men

ProstaCaid (33-ingredient comprehensive polyherbal preparation) against prostate cancer......

We have seen  many benefits of natural products rich in  Quercetin,   Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and many other polyphenol antioxidant from natural products like green tea, broccoli peaches and plums. Interestingly, now researchers from  Columbia University have come up with an interesting finding, i.e., ProstaCaid is a 33-ingredient comprehensive polyherbal preparation with supplements of vitamin C, vitamin D3, zinc, selenium, quercitin, 3,3′-diinodolymethane (DIM), and lycopene was able to stop abnormal cell growth and induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in both hormone sensitive and hormone resistant prostate cancer cell lines at unusually low concentrations, which makes the findings more significant...

Herbal extracts include the extracts from turmeric root, saw palmetto berry, grape skin, pomegranate, pumpkin seed, pygeum bark, sarsaparilla root, green tea, and Japanese knotweed. Hence, it is rich in natural polyphenols, including quercetin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and ellagic acid, which have previously demonstrated anticancer potential. The unique formula contains 3 medicinal mushrooms grown on an herbal-enhanced medium. The mushrooms included are Phellinus linteus, Ganoderma lucidum, and Coriolus versicolor, each with known anticancer properties.

Researchers claim that, ProstaCaid was designed based on constituents that exhibit antiprolifetaive, antioxidant, and apoptotic activities; however, its efficacy and the mechanisms of action are yet to be examined. Researchers looked at the effectiveness of the preparation in suppressing several types of prostate cancer cell lines in culture and attempt to delineate the mechanism of action for justification in pursuing animal to determine efficicacy invivo.

Researchers conclude that, the anticancer activity of ProstaCaid may be ascribed to its polyphenolic flavonoids and curcuminoids derived from various herbs as well as other supplements, such as DIM. The preparation contains supplements such as quercetin (15%), Curcuma longa root extract complex with enhanced bioavailability (BCM-95; 20%), DIM (3%), and resveratrol (0.2%). Some of these components have shown a strong doseand time-dependent growth inhibition and apoptotic death in prostate cancer cells; 25 mM of quercetin inhibited about 50% PC3 cell growth for 72 hours. At 24 hours, 50 mM and 100 mM quercetin induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis, manifested by the decrease in G2/M-related protiens.

Researchers summarise  that,    ProstaCaid has anti-cancer activities in both AD and AI prostate cancer cells at very low concentrations (25 mg/mL). It also suggests that ProstaCaid inhibits cell growth and survival, at least through the inhibition of AKT and MAPK signaling. The effect on AI cell lines is especially of importance as there is presently no curative therapy for hormone refractory prostate cancer.

Researchers postulate that ProstaCaid may affect activity of Cdc2/cyclin B1 kinase by reducing this complex formation. Cdc2 could be dephosphorylated by Cdc25C and become inactive or be phosphorylated by protein kinase, such as Wee1, and then converted into an inactive form. They also suggest that more studies are needed in the future to test it and to define its upstream events in PC3 cells.

Ref : Jun Yan and Aaron E. Katz, Integr Cancer Ther 2010 9: 186

Green tea might help to treat Uterine Fibroids....

In continuation of my update on green tea   (pic : source : greenteatruth.org ).......  

We have seen many research groups  trying to explore the  usefulness of  green tea for reduction in heart disease (bad cholesterol),  increase in metabolic rate (fat oxidization) prevention  of Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases, lowering incidence of cancers and  weight reduction.

 Now researchers from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn lead  Dr. Ayman Al-Hendy ,   have found that green tea extract shows promise as a treatment for uterine fibroids. The key ingredient responsible for this activity is  "epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)". The researchers investigated  the effect of epigallocatechin gallate  on rat leiomyoma (ELT3) cells in vitro and in a nude mice model. ELT3 cells were treated with various concentrations of EGCG. Cell proliferation, proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4) protein levels were evaluated. As per the claim by the researchers, EGCG significantly decreased PCNA and Cdk4 protein levels. The authotrs conclude that EGCG effectively inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in rat ELT3 uterine leiomyoma cells in vitro and in vivo.

Ref : http://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378%2809%2902102-4/fulltext

New role for milk: Delivering polyphenols with anti-cancer activity

Polyphenols found in tea manifest anti-cancer effects but their use is limited by poor bioavailability and disagreeable taste. A new study in the Journal of Dairy Science^® finds that when epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the major extractable polyphenol in green tea and the most biologically active, when diluted in skim milk or other milk complexes remains bioactive and continues to reduce colon cancer cell proliferation in culture at concentrations higher than 0.03 mg of EGCG/mL.

Ref : http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002203021300859X

New role for milk: Delivering polyphenols with anti-cancer activity

Drinking green tea with starchy food may help lower blood sugar spikes

In continuation on my update on green tea

Mice fed an antioxidant found in green tea  epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG  and corn starch had a significant reduction in increase in their blood sugar  blood glucose  levels compared to mice that were not fed the compound, according to Joshua Lambert, assistant professor of food science in agricultural sciences.

The dose of EGCG fed to the mice was equivalent to about one and a half cups of green tea for a human. Lambert, who worked with Sarah C. Forester, postdoctoral fellow, and Yeyi Gu, graduate student, both in food science, said EGCG was most effective when the compound was fed to the mice simultaneously with corn starch. For humans, this may mean that green tea could help them control the typical blood sugar increases that are brought on when they eat starchy foods, like breads and bagels that are often a part of typical breakfasts.

"The spike in blood glucose level is about 50 percent lower than the increase in the blood glucose level of mice that were not fed EGCG," Lambert said. 

GEN | News Highlights:Green Tea and Gold Nanoparticles Destroy Prostate Tumors

In continuation of my update on green tea

Scientists report on the development of a radioactive gold nanoparticle for prostate cancer therapy that they claim is far less toxic to normal tissues than traditional radiation therapy and results in massive reduction in tumor volume and increased survival in experimental mice after just one dose. The nanoparticles, derived from the Au-198 isotope, incorporate an extract from green tea known as epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCg), which effectively latches the nanoparticles onto the prostate tumor cells and facilitates their internalization.

GEN | News Highlights:Green Tea and Gold Nanoparticles Destroy Prostate Tumors

Gren tea for new type of H1N1 Flu ......

In continuatation of my update on Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), I find this info something different and interesting too. We are aware about the antioxidant and anticancer activities of this compound, but now researchers from Central Research Institute of ITO EN, Ltd., & School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka have found the same compound to inhibits flu infection. As per the researchers claim, the compound had an inhibitory effect against three types of influenza viruses, including the swine-origin H1N1 virus that caused pandemic flu in 2009, and that its effect did not depend on the type of virus. These findings once again suggest that green tea is effective in preventing flu.

Gargling with green tea has already proved to prevent the onset of seasonal flu. It has become clear that catechin, a major type of polyphenol in green tea, plays a major role in prevention of flu infection, and that, among different types of catechin, EGCg displays the strongest antiviral activity. More interestingly, the researchers have conducted examinations to see if EGCg also shows antiviral activity against the new type of H1N1 virus, regardless of viral subtypes.

Solutions containing three types of viruses including the H1N1 virus were mixed with EGCg extracted from green tea. The mixture was added to cultured cells, which were thus infected. The cells were incubated for a set period of time, and the number of infected cells was counted. The concentration of EGCg at which virus infection was inhibited to 50% of the level of infection without EGCg was calculated.

The experiments showed that EGCg prevented flu virus infections at lower concentrations than Amantadine (a drug used to prevent and treat flu). A typical concentration of EGCg in green tea infused from a teapot is reported as 5,000-7,000 micromoles/L. Therefore, these results indicate that green tea diluted 1,000-fold or more is effective to halve infections by three types of viruses, including H1N1.

Those interested to know the details about green tea can visit the site.

Ref : http://www.itoen.co.jp/eng/corporate_info/index.html