Green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-Gallate attenuates behavioral abnormality in hemi-parkinsonian rat

ABSTRACT

Epigallocatechin gallate [EGCG], a major constituent of green tea, has been introduced as a potent free radical scavenger and can effectively reduce free radical-induced lipid peroxidation. Since free radical injury plays an important role in neuronal damage in Parkinson's disease [PD], this study examined whether EGCG administration would reduce functional asymmetry in an experimental model of PD in male Wistar rats. For this purpose, unilateral intrastriatal 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats were intraperitoneally pretreated with EGCG [40 mg/Kg] 2 hours before surgery and daily [20 mg/Kg] for a period of 2 weeks post-surgery. Apomorphine- and amphetamine-induced rotations were measured pre- and post-surgery after 2 weeks. The results showed that there are 35.1% [P<0.05] and 33.2% [P<0.05] reductions in controversies apomorphine- and ipsiversive amphetamine-induced rotations in EGCG-treated-lesioned group respectively as compared to the untreated lesioned group at 2[nd] week post-surgery. Taken together, these results showed that two-week administration of EGCG could attenuate the drug-induced behavioral abnormalities in this model of PD