Ingredient Found in Green Tea Significantly Inhibits Breast Cancer
Growth in Female Mice

Newswise --
Green tea is high in the antioxidant EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-
gallate) which helps prevent the body's cells from becoming damaged
and prematurely aged. Studies have suggested that the combination of
green tea and EGCG may also be beneficial by providing protection
against certain types of cancers, including breast cancer. A new study
conducted by researchers at the University of Mississippi finds that
consuming EGCG significantly inhibits breast tumor growth in female
mice. These results bring us one step closer to better understanding
the disease and potentially new and naturally occurring therapies.

The study was conducted by Jian-Wei Gu, Emily Young, Jordan Covington,
James Wes Johnson, and Wei Tan, all of the Department of Physiology &
Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS. Dr.
Gu will present his team's findings, entitled, Oral Administration of
EGCG, an Antioxidant Found in Green Tea, Inhibits Tumor Angiogenesis
and Growth of Breast Cancer in Female Mice, at the 121st Annual
Meeting of the American Physiological Society (APS; http://www.the-APS.org/press),
part of the Experimental Biology 2008 scientific conference.

The Study
Epidemiological studies suggest that green tea and its major
constituent, EGCG, can provide some protection against cancer. Because
these studies were very limited, the anti-cancer mechanism of green
tea and EGCG was not clear. As a result, the researchers examined
whether drinking EGCG (just the antioxidant infused in water)
inhibited the following: expression of VEGF (vascular endothelial
growth factor, which is found in a variety of breast cancer types);
tumor angiogenesis (thought to help tumors expand by supplying them
with nutrients); and the growth of breast cancer in female mice.

Seven week old female mice were given EGCG (25 mg/50 ml) in drinking
water for five weeks (approximately 50-100 mg/kg/day.) The control
mice received regular drinking water. In the second week of the study
mouse breast cancer cells were injected in the left fourth mammary
glands of the mice. Tumor size was monitored by measuring the tumor
cross section area (TCSA). Tumors were eventually isolated and
measured for tumor weight, intratumoral microvessel (IM) density
(using staining), and VEGF protein levels (using ELISA).

At the end of the five week period the researchers found that oral
consumption of EGCG caused significant decreases in TCSA (66%), tumor
weight (68%), IM density 155±6 vs.111±20 IM#mm^2) and VEGF protein
levels (59.0±3.7 vs. 45.7±1.4 pg/mg) in the breast tumors vs. the
control mice, respectively (N=8; P<0.01). Further, VEGF plasma levels
were lower in EGCG mice than in control mice (40.8±3.5 vs. 26.5±3.8 pg/
ml P< 0.01).

Dr. Gu, the senior researcher for the study, hypothesized that the
reason for the link between EGCG and the reductions in the cancer data
was because EGCG directly targets both tumor blood vessels and tumor
cells of breast cancer for suppressing the new blood vessels formation
in breast tumor, the proliferation and migration of breast cancer
cells.

Gu concluded by saying, "In this study we have demonstrated that the
frequent ingestion of EGCG significantly inhibits breast tumor growth,
VEGF expression and tumor angiogenesis in mice. We believe our
findings will help lead to new therapies for the prevention and
treatment of breast cancer in women."

Physiology is the study of how molecules, cells, tissues and organs
function to create health or disease. The American Physiological
Society (APS; http://www.The-APS.org/press) has been an integral part
of this discovery process since it was established in 1887.

(c) 2008 Newswise.  All Rights Reserved.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Could be natural iron chelators"

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and Epicatechin-3-gallate from Green Tea
Decrease Plasma Non-Transferrin Bound Iron and Erythrocyte Oxidative
Stress
Authors: Thephinlap, C.1; Ounjaijean, S.1; Khansuwan, U.1; Fucharoen,
S.1; Porter, J. B.1; Srichairatanakool, S.1

Source: Medicinal Chemistry, Volume 3, Number 3, May 2007, pp.
289-296(8)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers
Abstract:

β-Thalassemia patients suffer from secondary iron overload caused by
increased iron absorption and multiple blood transfusions. Excessive
iron catalyzes free-radical formation, causing oxidative tissue
damage. Non-transferrin bound iron (NTBI) detected in thalassemic
plasma is highly toxic and chelatable. Desferrioxamine and
deferiprone
are used to treat the iron overload, but many side effects are found.
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and epicatechin gallate (ECG) in
green
tea (GT) show strong antioxidant properties. We separated the EGCG
and
ECG from GT extract using an HPLC, and examined their iron-binding
and
free-radical scavenging activities. They bound Fe3+ rapidly to form a
complex with a predominant absorption at 560 nm. EGCG and ECG bound
chemical Fe3+ and chelated the NTBI in a time- and dose dependent
manner. They also decreased oxidative stress in iron-treated
erythrocytes. In conclusion, EGCG and ECG could be natural iron
chelators that efficiently decrease the levels of NTBI and free
radicals in iron overload.

Keywords: Epigallocatechin-3-gallate; epicatechin-3-gallate; green
tea; iron overload; non-transferrin bound iron; oxidative stress

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.2174/157340607780620608

Affiliations: 1: Department of Biochemistry,Faculty of Medicine,
Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.

Who loves ya.
Tom

Jesus Was A Vegetarian!
http://tinyurl.com/2r2nkh

Man Is A Herbivore!
http://tinyurl.com/a3cc3

DEAD PEOPLE WALKING
http://tinyurl.com/zk9fk