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Green tea polyphenols and their potential role in health and disease

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Abstract

There is a growing body of evidence that plant polyphenols such as resveratrol, anthocyanins, catechins, and terpenes like taxol are effectively used in the treatment of chronic conditions including cancer, Alzheimer, Parkinsonism, diabetes, aging, etc. The link between oxidative stress and inflammation is well accepted. Thus, the mechanism of action of these natural products is partly believed to be through their significant antioxidant properties. The main constituent of green tea, with clinical significance, is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). It has been associated with antitumor, anti-Alzheimer, and anti-aging properties, improve redox status at the tissue level possibly preventing system level structural damage. This review focuses on EGCG and its potential therapeutic role in health and disease.

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Acknowledgments

The authors (MA & AMS) thankfully acknowledge assistance of their research lab. workers, Mrs. S. Oommen, Mr. Nomani and other workers in the nanoscopy unit of KU for their assistance. Dr. Vinod George, St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore, India, for his generous donation of the picture, tea leaf picking in India, is thankfully acknowledged. We are also grateful to RA, Kuwait University, for their support for the non-funded research projects.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Kuwait

    M. Afzal & A. M. Safer

  2. Palmer University, Palmer College West Campus, San Jose, CA, USA

    M. Menon

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  1. M. Afzal
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  2. A. M. Safer
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  3. M. Menon
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Correspondence to M. Afzal.

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Afzal, M., Safer, A.M. & Menon, M. Green tea polyphenols and their potential role in health and disease. Inflammopharmacol 23, 151–161 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-015-0236-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-015-0236-1

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