• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.542-546
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• 2004

Changes in contents of catechins, caffeine, free amino acids, and minerals in green tea loaves according to harvest periods were compared. Total catechin content increased from 40.61 to 52.04 mg/g, while that of caffeine decreased from 17.56 to 14.61 mg/g according to harvest periods. Regardless of harvest periods, composition of catechins was epigallocatechin (EGC)>epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg)>epicatechin (EC)>gallocatechin (GC)>epicatechin gallate (ECg)>catechin (C)>gallocatechin gallate (GCg)>catechin gallate (Cg). Free amino acid content in green tea leaves was highest in young loaves, and gradually decreased according to harvest periods. Theanine content was markedly decreased with leaf aging, suggesting taste of green tea may be changed from mild to bitter with increasing harvest period. Analyses of mineral elements in green tea leaves showed that Fe, Mn, and Mg increased with leaf aging, while Cu showed opposite trend. Results reveal that content of some chemical compounds in Korean (Posong) green tea was highly dependent on harvest period.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.62-67
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• 2016

Hydrolytic enzyme activities, including those of ${\beta}$-glucosidase, ${\beta}$-glucuronidase, ${\beta}$-xylosidase, ${\beta}$-galactosidase, ${\beta}$-arabinofuranosidase, ${\beta}$-arabinosidase, and ${\beta}$-arabinopyranosidase, which are useful for bioconversion, were explored in lactic acid bacteria isolated from Korean traditional fermented foods. Nine bacterial strains were selected for the fermentation of green tea extract prepared by supercritical fluid extraction. Changes in the concentrations of catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate in green tea extract were investigated after fermentation by the selected lactic acid bacteria strains. The strain Leuconostoc mesenteroides MBE1424, which showed the highest ${\beta}$-glucuronidase enzyme activity among the tested bacterial strains, increased the epigallocatechin content of the green tea extract by 60%. In addition, L. mesenteroides MBE1424 was more resistant than the control strain at high temperature and showed a maximum specific growth rate at $40^{\circ}C$. L. mesenteroides MBE1424 was presumed to have an enzyme system containing ${\beta}$-glucuronidase with utility in the bioconversion of green tea extract.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.111-116
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• 2013

Finite element analysis(FEA) has been extensively applied in the analyses of biomechanical properties of stents. Geometrically, a closed-cell stent is an assembly of a number of repeated unit cells and exhibits periodicity in both longitudinal and circumferential directions. This study concentrates on various parameters of the FEA models for the analysis of drug-eluting biodegradable polymeric stents for application to the treatment of coronary artery disease. In order to determine the mechanical characteristics of biodegradable polymeric stents, FEA was used to model two different types of stents: tubular stents(TS) and helicoidal stents(HS). For this modeling, epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG)-eluting poly[(L-lactide-co-${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone), PLCL] (E-PLCL) was chosen as drug-eluting stent materials. E-PLCL was prepared by blending PLCL with 5% EGCG as previously described. In addition, the effects of EGCG blending on the mechanical properties of PLCL were investigated for both types of stent models. EGCG did not affect tensile strength at break, but significantly increased elastic modulus of PLCL. It is suggested that FEA is a cost-effective method to improve the design of drug-eluting biodegradable polymeric stents.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.127-131
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• 2007

Chronic treatment with olanzapine (OLZ), an atypical antipsychotic drug, is associated with the adverse effects of weight gain, hyperglycemia and/or hypertriglyceridemia. Green tea or epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), one of the most abundant green tea polyphenols, significantly reduces or prevents an increase in glucose levels, lipid markers and/or body weight. We hypothesized that combined treatment with OLZ and green tea extract (GTE) or EGCG may prevent body weight gain and increase of the lipid markers. ICR male mice weighing an average of 30.51 g (n=32) at the beginning of the experiment were used. OLZ, OLZ+GTE and OLZ+EGCG were administered for 27 d in the drinking water, and then the levels of fasting glucose, nitric oxide (NO), and a typical lipid marker triglyceride (TG) were determined in plasma. The body weight and food intake were also compared. The chronic treatment of OLZ increased the average body weight compared with that of controls. In the presence of GTE or EGCG, the OLZ-induced increase in body weight was significantly prevented. Furthermore, in the OLZ group, the plasma levels of glucose, NO and TG were significantly increased, whereas GTE or EGCG prevented these increases. These results implicate that OLZ may induce systematic inflammatory reaction, and suggest that GTE or EGCG can protect against OLZinduced weight gain, hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.214-220
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• 2019

Background Microvascular anastomosis patency is adversely affected by local and systemic factors. Impaired intimal recovery and endothelial mechanisms promoting thrombus formation at the anastomotic site are common etiological factors of reduced anastomosis patency. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a catechin derivative belonging to the flavonoid subgroup and is present in green tea (Camellia sinensis). This study investigated the effects of EGCG on the structure of vessel tips used in microvascular anastomoses and evaluated its effects on thrombus formation at an anastomotic site. Methods Thirty-six adult male Wistar albino rats were used in the study. The right femoral artery was cut and reanastomosed. The rats were divided into two groups (18 per group) and were systemically administered either EGCG or saline. Each group were then subdivided into three groups, each with six rats. Axial histological sections were taken from segments 1 cm proximal and 1 cm distal to the microvascular anastomosis site on days 5, 10, and 14. Results Thrombus formation was significantly different between the EGCG and control groups on day 5 (P=0.015) but not on days 10 or 14. The mean luminal diameter was significantly greater in the EGCG group on days 5 (P=0.002), 10 (P=0.026), and 14 (P=0.002). Intimal thickening was significantly higher on days 5 (P=0.041) and 10 (P=0.02). Conclusions EGCG showed vasodilatory effects and led to reduced early thrombus formation after microvascular repair. Similar studies on venous anastomoses and random or axial pedunculated skin flaps would also contribute valuable findings relevant to this topic.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.76 no.3
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• pp.114-119
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• 2014

Background: Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major biologically active component of green tea, has anti-cancer activity in human and animal models. We investigated the schedule-dependent effect of EGCG and paclitaxel on growth of NCI-H460 non-small cell lung cancer cells. Methods: To investigate the combined effect of EGCG (E) and paclitaxel (P), combination indices (CIs) were calculated, and cell cycle analysis was performed. For the effect on cell apoptosis, western blot analysis was also performed. Results: CI analysis demonstrated that both concurrent and sequential E ${\rightarrow}$ P treatments had antagonistic effects (CIs >1.0), but sequential P ${\rightarrow}$ E had synergistic effects (CIs <1.0), on the growth inhibition of NCI-H460 cells. In the cell cycle analysis, although paclitaxel induced $G_2/M$ cell cycle arrest and increased the sub-G1 fraction, concurrent EGCG and paclitaxel treatments did not have any additive or synergistic effects compared with the paclitaxel treatment alone. However, western blot analysis demonstrated that sequential P ${\rightarrow}$ E treatment decreased the expression of Bcl-2 and procaspase-3 and increased poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage; while minimal effects were seen with concurrent or sequential E ${\rightarrow}$ P treatments. Conclusion: Concurrent or sequential E ${\rightarrow}$ P treatment had opposite effects to P ${\rightarrow}$ E treatment, where P ${\rightarrow}$ E treatment showed a synergistic effect on growth inhibition of NCI-H460 cells by inducing apoptosis. Thus, the efficacy of EGCG and paclitaxel combination treatment seems to be schedule-dependent.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.166-172
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• 2013

Caffeine and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) are major constituents of green tea, the leaves of Camellia sinensis (Theaceae). Although EGCG is well known for diverse beneficial effect, caffeine is sometimes harmful with adverse effects. Therefore, the extraction efficiency was investigated using different extraction method such as extraction solvent, extraction time, extraction method, and repeated extraction. The content of EGCG and caffeine in green tea extract was quantitated by HPLC analysis. The extraction condition exerted difference on the extraction yield. The content of EGCG was also affected by different extraction condition. Especially, the extraction solvent greatly affected the content of EGCG in the extract. However, the content of caffeine was less affected compared to that of EGCG. The inhibitory effect of green tea extract on pancreatic lipase was almost similar regardless of extraction condition. Taken together, optimization of extraction condition will provide best efficacy for further development of green tea as anti-obesity therapeutics.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2020

(-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGGG), a flavonoid found in green tea, is known to have low bioavailability. In this study, we determine whether piperine, a natural bioenhancer, can increase the absorption rate of EGCG. Using a Caco-2 cell monolayer, permeability experiments were performed in Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS) and EGCG stability was adjusted to pH 6.5 and pH 5.5 by ascorbic acid treatment. When HBSS was adjusted to pH 6.5, EGCG remained at 94.78% for up to 2 h and remained at 86.04% after 4 h and the net efflux decreased compared to the control. As a result, uptake was significantly increased in the piperine co-administered group compared to the EGCG-alone group, showing that piperine increased the permeability of EGCG in the Caco-2 cell monolayer. These results suggest that piperine inhibits EGCG glucuronidation and efflux, allowing for greater absorption of EGCG.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.363-368
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• 2006

EGCG [(-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate], a major component of green tea has been considered as a major antioxidant constituent. In addition to having been considered for cancer treatment as a chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agent, EGCG has recently been attributed an anti-proliferative effect. We re-examined the latter finding in this study and added specific focus on the ability of EGCG to induce apoptosis in human osteogenic sarcoma (HOS) cells. Antiproliferative action of EGCG $(IC_{50}=35.3{\pm}6.0{\mu}g/mL)$ appeared to be linked to apoptotic cell death based on morphological changes, chromosomal DNA degradation, and an increase in the $sub-G_1$ apoptotic cell population. Treatment of HOS cells with EGCG gradually activated caspase-3, an established inducer of apoptotic cell death.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.78-82
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• 2016

Purpose: Green tea is known as a potent anti-oxidant, anti-carcinogen, and genetic protector. Glyphosate (N-phosphonomethyl glycine) is a widely used non-selective herbicide that causes DNA damage. The present study was conducted to investigate the protective effects of green tea in human blood lymphocytes exposed to glyphosate using the Sister Chromatid Exchange (SCE) frequency method. Methods: Peripheral blood was obtained from 10 volunteers and cultured through four different conditions. Four groups were divided into control, glyphosate only (300 ng/mL), glyphosate and low ($20{\mu}m$) concentrations of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and glyphosate and high ($100{\mu}m$) concentrations of EGCG. Results: The glyphosate exposed groups had a higher mean SCE frequency ($10.33{\pm}2.50$) than the control group ($6.38{\pm}2.28$, p<0.001). The low concentrations of EGCG groups had a lower mean SCE frequency ($9.91{\pm}1.93$) than the glyphosate-only group, although this difference was not significant (p=0.219). However, the high concentration group ($9.49{\pm}1.85$) had a significantly lower SCE frequency than the glyphosate-only group (p=0.001). Conclusion: EGCG has a gene protective effect in human lymphocytes exposed to the genotoxicity of glyphosate in the case of high concentrations.