Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, commonly abbreviated as EGCG, is a biologically active compound found in green tea. It belongs to a group of plant chemicals known as catechins, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Research published in the Journal of Neuroscience (September 21, 2005) examined the effects of EGCG on the brains of mice genetically programmed to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the formation of amyloid plaques—abnormal protein deposits that accumulate in the brain and interfere with normal brain function.
In the study, mice received daily injections of EGCG for several months. The researchers found that the treated mice had up to a 54% reduction in amyloid plaque formation compared to untreated mice. The authors suggested that EGCG may interfere with the early processes that lead to amyloid formation within brain cells.
These findings indicate that EGCG may influence mechanisms involved in plaque development, at least in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease.
