Abstract :
Constant research work and evidences over the years indicate that consumption of tea, especially green tea, is good for
preventing cancer. A growing body of evidence suggests beneficial role of green tea and its polyphenol in oral cancer.
To elucidate the cancer preventive mechanisms of green tea, much effort has been devoted to investigate the
anticancer effects of Epigallocatechin- 3-gallate (EGCG), the major catechin of green tea. It has been revealed that
EGCG restrained carcinogenesis in a variety of tissues through inhibition of growth factor-related cell signaling, reducing
inflammatory mediators such as COX-2 and thereby limiting bioactivity of PGE2. It also enhances gene expression,
modulates cellular proliferation and apoptosis. EGCG is a multi-potent anticancer agent, which not only provides solid
evidence to support the anticancer potential of green tea, but also offers new ways for discovering multiple-targeted
anticancer drugs.
Keyword :
Cancer prevention mechanisms, Epigallocatechin gallate, Green tea.