(-)-Epigallocatechin gallate protects against NO stress-induced neuronal damage after ischemia by acting as an anti-oxidant.

2002 
Abstract The present study investigated the effects of (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is the major component of polyphenol in green tea, on nitric oxide (NO) stress-induced neuronal damage, by monitoring NO mobilizations in the intact rat hippocampus and assaying the viability of cultured rat hippocampal neurons. A 10-min ischemia increased NO (NO 3 − /NO 2 − ) concentrations in the intact rat hippocampus, while EGCG (50 mg/kg i.p.) inhibited the increase by 77% without affecting hippocampal blood flow. The NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 50 μM), produced NO (NO 3 − /NO 2 − ), while EGCG inhibited it in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations ranging from 50 to 200 μM. Treatment with SNP (100 μM) reduced the viability of cultured rat hippocampal neurons to 22% of control levels, while EGCG caused it to recover to 51% for 10 μM, 73% for 20 μM, and 70% for 50 μM. Taken together, it appears that EGCG could protect against ischemic neuronal damage by deoxidizing peroxynitrate/peroxynitrite, which is converted to NO radical or hydroxy radical.
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