Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major form of tea epicatechin, has a variety of biological activities. It has recently been studied intensively as an antiallergic and anti-inflammatory agent. Thus we elucidated the anti-allergic effect of EGCG in...
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major form of tea epicatechin, has a variety of biological activities. It has recently been studied intensively as an antiallergic and anti-inflammatory agent. Thus we elucidated the anti-allergic effect of EGCG in the ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma model mice by examining the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9. Also airway reactivity to methacholine challenge and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in BAL fluid. mesured by the expression of iNOS mRNA in lung tissue and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in BAL fluids. The OVA challenged mice showed allergic airway reactions, such as inflammatory chemokine (CCL5,CXCL10) in the airway and lung tissues. However mice administrated with EGCG had significantly reduced CCL5 and MMP-9 expression in lung tissues as well as TNF-α and IL-5 production in BAL fluid. these results suggest that EGCG regulate