Abstract
The preventative effects of (—)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), (—)-epicatechin gallate (ECg), and (—)-epicatechin (EC) against paraquat-induced oxidative stress were compared in rats in order to discover whether the gallic acid moiety in the EGCg and ECg molecules was necessary to their stronger preventive activity; in addition, the relation between the difference in the chemical structures of their B-ring and their preventive effects was studied. EGCg and ECg strongly suppressed decreases in food intake, body weight gain, and serum and liver triacylglycerol concentrations as well as increases in serum and liver TBARS which were caused by use of the paraquat diet. However, these suppressive effects were almost not observed in EC. The preventive effects of EGCg and ECg against the paraquat-induced oxidative stress were not significantly different. These results indicate that the presence of the gallic acid moiety of EGCg and ECg molecule is important in regard to their stronger preventive effects compared to those of the EC and also that those effects against oxidative stress in the rats were not significantly affected by the differences between the pyrogallol and catechol structures in the B-ring in EGCg and ECg.
