Both epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) from Green Tea and Curcumin from Turmeric
have shown efficacy in various in vivo and in vitro models of cancer. This study
was designed by researchers from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
at the University of Otago in New Zealand to determine the efficacy of these
naturally derived polyphenolic compounds when given in combination. Studies
in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells demonstrated that EGCG + Curcumin were synergistically
cytotoxic and that this correlated with stopping the cycle of the cancer cells
growth. After 12 hr, EGCG plus Curcumin were stifling the growth of the cells
and this correlated to a 50% decrease in cell number compared to control; the
combination weren’t just inhibiting the growth of the cancerous cells
but was making them disappear. To determine if this lab result would translate
to living beings, female mice lacking an immune system were implanted with MDA-MB-231
breast cancer cells and treated with either Curcumin or EGCG separately, EGCG
together with Curcumin, or vehicle control for 10 weeks. Tumor volume in the
EGCG + Curcumin treated mice decreased 49% compared to vehicle control mice.
Therefore, these results demonstrate that the combination of EGCG and Curcumin
is efficacious in both in vitro and in vivo models of ERalpha- breast cancer.
The study is published in the December 20th, 2007 issue of the International
Journal of Cancer.
Green Tea antioxidants prevent LDL-cholesterol from going rancid reducing
damage to blood vessel walls
It has been reported that green tea consumption reduces the risk of coronary
artery disease and cardiac events (stroke, heart attack, etc). Catechin is a
major constituent of Japanese green tea and an antioxidant. Lipids and oxidization
(rancidification) of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) play important
roles in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis (hardening of the
arteries). Scientists at the Department of Internal Medicine, Chiba-Hokusoh
Hospital, Nippon Medical School in Japan evaluated the effect of Catechin intake
on the lipid profile and level of oxidized LDL in plasma. The study population
consisted of 40 healthy adult volunteers (10 men, 30 women). Catechin was extracted
from green tea leaves. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups, a
Catechin group (n = 29) and a control group (n = 11). In the Catechin group,
Catechin (500 mg: equivalent to 6 or 7 cups of green tea) was administered orally
(they drank it). Venous blood samples were obtained before eating a meal at
the start and after 4 weeks without any additional lifestyle modification. Plasma
oxidized LDL assay was performed. The baseline lipid profiles and tea consumptions
were similar between the two groups. Plasma oxidized LDL was significantly decreased
after Catechin administration; EGCG and its associated antioxidants reduced
the amount of rancid fats in the blood of these healthy subjects. The mechanism
of the beneficial effects of green tea on coronary artery disease might result
from a decrease in plasma oxidized LDL. This valuable study is published in
the November 2007 issue of the International Heart Journal.
