title: (-)-Epigallocatechin gallate as an intervention for the acute treatment of cerebral ischemia.
abstract: This study examined the neuroprotective effects and possible hepatotoxicity of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in a rat model of transient focal cerebral ischemia. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (265-295 g) were treated with either 50 mg kg(-1) of EGCG or saline, i.p., immediately post-ischemia and every day thereafter, in a middle cerebral artery occlusion model of stroke. Sacrifice occurred 72 h post-ischemia and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining was used to quantify neuronal infarction. Hepatotoxicity was determined by taking blood samples for plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity. Spleen, kidney, liver and testes wet weights were also recorded. Total infarct volume was significantly (P<0.05) reduced in the EGCG-treated group as compared to controls. Analysis of the mean infarct area showed a significant (P<0.05) decrease in slices 6 and 7 in the EGCG-treated group. No significant differences were found in organ weights or ALT levels between treatment groups. Our findings, in part, validate and extend previous observations illustrating that 50 mg kg(-1), i.p. EGCG is non-toxic and neuroprotective. However, we also found that EGCG treatment appreciably increased (>50%) the number of animals that developed an intracerebral hemorrhage. We therefore conclude that 50 mg kg(-1) EGCG is not a viable intervention for the acute treatment of cerebral ischemia, as it is likely to increase the risk of intracerebral hemorrhaging.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Otago, Dunedin, P.O. Box 913, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Rosanna M A
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Shiva M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Helps
authors.forename: Odette M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Neil R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Sims
authors.forename: Rhonda J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Rosengren
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Appleton
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate; D000410:Alanine Transaminase