• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.2222-2226
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• 2011

Amylase is a digestive enzyme that catalyses the starch into sugar. It has been reported that the green tea flavonoid (or polyphenols) (-)-epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG) inhibits human salivary ${\alpha}$-amylase (HSA) and induced anti-nutritional effects. In this study, we performed docking study for seven EGCG-like flavonoids and HSA to understand the interaction mechanism of HSA and EGCG and suggest new possible flavonoid inhibitors of HSA. As a result, EGCG and (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG) bind to HSA with complex hydrogen bonding interactions. These hydrogen bonding interactions are important for inhibitory activity of EGCG against HSA. We suggested that ECG can be a potent inhibitor of HSA. This study will be helpful to understand the mechanism of inhibition of HSA by EGCG and give insights to develop therapeutic strategies against diabetes.

• 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 Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.179-184
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• 1999

Phannacokinetics of epigallocatechin gallate(EGCG) was studied following i.v. bolus and oral administration in rats. The values of systemic clearance(CL) were $67.9{\pm}5.2$ and $26.5{\pm}1.4\;ml/min/kg$ following i.v. bolus administration of 1 mg and 5 mg EGCG, respectively. The values of volume of distribution at steady state (Vss) were $380{\pm}56$ and $835{\pm}84\;ml/kg$ after i.v. bolus administration of 1 mg and 5 mg EGCG, respectively. The decrease in the value of CL and the increase in the value of $V_{ss}$ as a function of EGCG dose (1 mg to 5 mg) suggest saturable mechanism(s) responsible for the distribution and elimination of EGCG. The fraction absorbed of EGCG after oral and intraduodenal administration of GTC were 13% and 22% of the dose, respectively. This result suggests a considerable degradation or elimination of EGCG in the gastrointestinal absorption after oral administration in rats.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2011

Purpose: Avulsed tooth can be completely recovered, if sound periodontal ligament (PDL) of tooth is maintained. Although a lot of storage solutions have been explored for the better storage of avulsed tooth, there is a shortcoming that the preservation time is much short. On the other hand, there has been studies that (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the most abundant polyphenol in green tea, which is related to the anti inflammatory, antioxygenic, and antibacterial effects, allows the successful preservations of tissues and cells. This study evaluated the effect of EGCG on avulsed-teeth preservation of Beagle dogs for a period of time. Methods: The atraumatically extracted teeth of Beagle dogs were washed and preserved with 0/10/$100\;{\mu}M$ of EGCG at the time of immediate, period 1 (4 days in EGCG-contained media and additional 1 day in EGCG-free media), period 2 (8 days in EGCG-contained media and additional 2 days in EGCG-free media) and period 3 (12 days in EGCG-contained media and additional 2 days in EGCG-free media). Then, the cell viabilities of preserved teeth was calculated by dividing optical density (OD) of 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay with OD of eosin assay to eliminate the measurement errors caused by the different tissue volumes. Results: From the results, the immediately analyzed group presented the highest cell viability, and the rate of living cells on teeth surface decreased dependent on the preservation period. However, the $100\;{\mu}M$ of EGCG-treated group showed statistically significant positive cell activity than EGCG-free groups throughout preservation periods. Conclusions: Our findings showed that $100\;{\mu}M$ EGCG could maintain PDL cell viability of extracted tooth. These results suggest that although EGCG could not be a perfect additive for tooth preservation, it is able to postpone the period of tooth storage. However, further in-depth studies are required for more plausible use of EGCG.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.525-531
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• 2013

Purpose: To identify the apoptosis caused by Proparacaine hydrochloride (PPC), a topical anesthesia, applied to conjunctival cell lines and determine whether pigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG), has protective effects on. Methods: The conjunctival cell lines were treated with 0.5% of Alcaine$^{(R)}$, 0.5% of PPC and 0.01% of Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) for 15 minutes, respectively in order to investigate the effects of topical anesthesia on cells, and followed by cultured for 12 and 24 hours. The recovery effects were investigated by measuring level of cellular proliferation inhibiting using MTT assay and LDH assay. The conjunctival cell lines were pre-treated with EGCG $10{\mu}M$ for 3 hrs and post-treated with 0.5% PPC for 15 mins in order to investigate whether EGCG has protective effects, flow cytometry were performed in order to observe apoptosis. Results: A result of the additional culture of 12 and 24 hours and again immediately after the treatment for 15 minutes 0.5% of Alcaine$^{(R)}$, 0.5% of PPC, the 0.01% of BAC, cell viability was not increased in all groups (p<0.05). The cell viabilities were higher than in cells 3 hours post-treated with $10{\mu}M$ of EGCG and pre-treated PPC 0.5% (68.2%), compared to cells ($32.2{\pm}2.0%$) treated only with 0.5% of PPC. PPC 0.5% also induced apoptosis in the treated group was reduced by the addition of EGCG. Conclusions: It is considered that the EGCG has cell protective effects when it is added to PPC, a topical anesthesia, by improving cell viability and inhibiting apoptosis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.3 s.83
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• pp.420-426
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• 2007

In the present investigation, we studied the modulating effects of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate(EGCG) on the differentiation of mouse C2C12 myoblasts. We found that the strong inhibitory effect of EGCG on DNA methyltransferase-mediated DNA methylation induced transdifferentiation of C2C12 myoblasts into smooth muscle cells demonstrated by both morphological changes and immunofluorescent staining. C2C12 myoblasts treated with EGCG for 4 days expressed smooth muscle ${\alpha}-actin$ protein. Real-time PCR data revealed that smooth muscle ${\alpha}-actin$ mRNA was induced by EGCG treated C2C12 myoblasts in a concentration-dependent manner. Smooth muscle ${\alpha}-actin$ mRNA concentration increased 330% and 490% after 2 and 3 days of 50 ${\mu}M$ of EGCG treatment. The expression of another smooth muscle marker, transgelin, mRNA was also increased up to 9-fold by 4 days of EGCG treatment compared with control in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggested that C2C12 enables to transdifferentiate into smooth muscle when gene expression patterns are changed by the inhibition of DNA methylation induced by EGCG. In conclusion, transdifferentiation of C2C12 myoblasts into smooth muscle is resulted from the modulating effects of EGCG on DNA methylation which subsequently results in changing the expression pattern of several genes playing a critical role in the differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.251-256
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• 2011

EGCG, catechins in green tea, is a kind of phytochemical. Through the regulation of signal pathways, EGCG has been known to show anti-oxidant and anti-tumor effects in cells. In this study, we investigated the apoptotic effects of EGCG through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signal pathways, including hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-$1{\alpha}$). The experiments were performed in B16F10 melanoma cells in a hypoxic state. AMPK is activated by ATP consumption such as nutrient deficiency, exercise, heat shock, etc. The activated AMPK that plays an important role as an energy sensor inhibits proliferation of cancer cells, as well as inducing apoptosis. HIF-$1{\alpha}$, the primary transcriptional regulator of the response to oxygen deprivation, plays a critical role in modulating tumor growth and angiogenesis in a hypoxic state. The apoptotic effects of EGCG were studied in B16F10 cells in a hypoxic state. The results show that EGCG inhibits the transcriptional activity of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and induces apoptosis. These observations suggest that EGCG may exert inhibitory effects of angiogenesis and control tumor cell growth in hypoxic melanoma cells.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.98-103
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• 1998

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) was reported to exert weak cytotoxicity against normal healthy cells such as C3H10T1/2 cells, but profound inhibitory effects on the initiation or promotion stage of chemical carcinogenesis in mammary gland, blood and mouse skin. This study was carried out to develop antitumor agents with weak side effects and strong antitumor activity. Human skin melanoma cells (HBT 69) and human oral epitheloid carcinoma cells (OCL 17) were cultured in RPMI-1640 media containing 10% fetal bovine serum, antibiotic, and fungizone. After incubation for 24 hrs, the cells were treated with various amounts of (EGCG) for 48 hrs. The growth inhibitory effects of EGCG in human oral epitheloid carcinoma cells were evaluated by the 3- (4,5-djmethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), neutral red (NR), and sulforhodamine B protein (SRB) assays of colorimetric methods. The light microscopic study was also carried out to observe morphological changes of the treated cells. These results obtained were as follows; 1. Significantly inhibitory effects of EGCG against cultured human oral epithelioid carcinoma cells. 2. Significantly inhibitory effects against cultured human skin melanoma cells treated with 50 $\mu$M EGCG, but decreased inhibitory effects in 100 $\mu$M EGCG. 3. Degenerative changes against cultured human oral epitheloid carcinoma cells. 4. Degenerative changes against human skin melanoma cells treated with 50 UM EGCG, but recovered degenerative changes in 100 $\mu$M EGCG.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 2009

This study was designed to investigate the effects of high concentration of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate(EGCG) on the neuronal activity of rat substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons. Sprague-Dawley rats aged 14 to 16 days were decapitated under ether anesthesia. After treatment with pronase and thermolysin, the dissociated dopaminergic neurons were transferred into a chamber on an inverted microscope. Spontaneous action potentials and potassium currents were recorded by standard patch-clamp techniques under current and voltage-clamp modes respectively. 18 dopaminergic neurons(80%) revealed inhibitory responses to 40 and 100 ${\mu}M$ of EGCG and 4 neurons(20%) did not respond to EGCG. The spike frequency and resting membrane potential of these cells were decreased by EGCG. The amplitude of afterhyperpolarization was increased by EGCG. Whole potassium currents of dopaminergic neurons were increased by EGCG(n=10). These experimental results suggest that high concentration EGCG decreases the neuronal activity of the dopaminergic neurons by altering the resting membrane potential and afterhyperpolarization.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2002

Green tea has been recognized as a favorite beverage for centuries in Easter and Westers cultures. Recently, anti-tumor effects of green tea constituents have received increasing attention. However, the mechanism of catechin-mediated cytotoxicity against tumor cells remains to be elusive. To elucidate the mechanical insights of anti-tumor effects, (-)epigallocatechin-gallate(EGCG) of catechin was applied to human lung cancer A549 cells. (-)EGCG induced the death of A549 cells, which was revealed as apoptosis in DNA fragmentation assay. (-)EGCG induced the activation of caspase family cysteine proteases including capase-3, -8 and -9 proteases in A549 cells. Furthermore, (-)EGCG increased the phosphotransferase activity of c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1JNK 1), which further induced tole transcriptional activation of activating protein-1(AP-1) in A549 cells. We suggest that (-)EGCG-induced apotosis of A549 cells is mediated by signaling pathway involving caspase family cysteine protease, JNK1 and transcription factor, AP-1.