title: Inhibitory effects of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate from green tea on the growth of Babesia parasites.
abstract: (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the major tea catechin and accounts for 50-80% of the total catechin in green tea. (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-cancer, and anti-trypanocidal activities. This report describes the inhibitory effect of (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate on the in vitro growth of bovine Babesia parasites and the in vivo growth of the mouse-adapted rodent babesia B. microti. The in vitro growth of the Babesia species was significantly (P<0.05) inhibited in the presence of micromolar concentrations of EGCG (IC50 values=18 and 25 microM for B. bovis, and B. bigemina, respectively). The parasites showed no re-growth at 25 microM for B. bovis and B. bigemina in the subsequent viability test. The drug significantly (P<0.05) inhibited the growth of B. microti at doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg body weight, and the parasites completely cleared on day 14 and 16 post-inoculation in the 5 and 10 mg/kg treated groups, respectively. These findings highlight the potentiality of (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate as a chemotherapeutic drug for the treatment of babesiosis.
authors.affiliation: National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aboulaila
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Igarashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology; D028241:Camellia sinensis / Q000737:chemistry*; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate