Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Medicine of AIDS??

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), 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 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.

EGCG and HIV

There has been research investigating the benefit of EGCG from green tea in the treatment of HIV infection, where EGCG has been shown to reduce plaques related to AIDS related dementia in the laboratory, as well as block gp120. However, these effects have yet to be confirmed in live human trials, and it does not imply that green tea will cure or block HIV infection, but it may help regulate viral load as long as it is not involved in adverse drug reactions. The concentrations of EGCG used in the studies could not be reached by drinking green tea. More study into EGCG and HIV is currently underway.

Drug Interactions

A recent study using mouse models at the University of Southern California showed that, in contrast to the myriad benefits commonly associated with green tea and green tea extract (GTE), EGCG binds with the anti-cancer drug Velcade, significantly reducing its bioavailability and thereby rendering it therapeutically useless. Dr. Schönthal, who headed the study, suggests that consumption of green tea and GTE products be strongly contraindicated for patients undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma.