The medicinal action of androgens and green tea epigallocatechin gallate.
Unorthodox (non-traditional or alternative) medicinal practices have been expanding very rapidly in western countries. Modern physicians, scientists, and non-traditional medicine practitioners now must join forces to promote evidence-based medicine to benefit patients. Green tea extracts are among the most widely used ancient medicinal agents, while androgens are probably the oldest drugs used in a purified form in traditional Chinese medicine. It is now clear that a specific green tea catechin, (-)epigallocatechin-3-gallate, can modulate the production and biological actions of androgens and other hormones. Modulation of androgenic activity and administration of (-)epigallocatechin-3-gallate may be useful for the treatment of various hormone-related abnormalities, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia, baldness, and acne, as well as androgen-dependent and -independent prostate cancers. (-)Epigallocatechin-3-gallate has also been shown to modulate appetite and control obesity in animals.
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Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research, Ben May Institute for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002392:Catechin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008518:Medicine, East Asian Traditional; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013662:Tea
D000728:Androgens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013662:Tea; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate