Abstract
Due to changes in the dietary structure of individuals, the incidence of digestive tract tumors has increased significantly in recent years, causing a serious threat to the life and health of patients. This has in turn led to an increase in cancer prevention research. Many studies have shown that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), an active ingredient in green tea, is in direct contact with the digestive tract upon ingestion, which allows it to elicit a significant antagonizing effect on digestive tract tumors. The main results of EGCG treatment include the prevention of tumor development in the digestive tract and the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. EGCG can be orally administered, is safe, and combats other resistances. The synergistic use of cancer drugs can promote the efficacy and reduce the anti-allergic properties of drugs, and is thus, favored in medical research. EGCG, however, currently possesses several shortcomings such as poor stability and low bioavailability, and its clinical application prospects need further development. In this paper, we have systematically summarized the research progress on the ability of EGCG to antagonize the activity and mechanism of action of digestive tract tumors, to achieve prevention, alleviation, delay, and even treat human gastrointestinal tract tumors via exogenous dietary EGCG supplementation or the development of new drugs containing EGCG.
Highlights
Gastrointestinal tumors represent sarcomas of the digestive tract and its accessory organs, such as oral cancer, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, and liver cancer
In human colorectal cancer HT-29 cells, EGCG inhibits the expression of Cyclin D1 protein; stops the cell cycle in the G1 phase [50]; downregulates the Bcl-2 protein; upregulates Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9 [51]; induces cytochrome c release; damages the mitochondrial membrane; and promotes apoptosis of cancer cells
SCLC cells treated with 70 μM EGCG for 24 h [76], telomerase activity decreased by 50–60%, and apoptosis became apparent at 36 h of treatment
Summary
Gastrointestinal tumors represent sarcomas of the digestive tract and its accessory organs, such as oral cancer, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, and liver cancer. EGCG safety [20],Report and from the the National Cancer Center in China [7], the estimated number of new cases of malignant tumors in of economic2014 cost, can be efficiently prepared from tea [21], which contributes tothird These attributes have of contributed to theranked potential of EGCG as Gastrointestinal a drug againsttumors gastrointestinal cancer. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in green tea has attracted the attention of researchers because effect of its derivatives on digestive tract tumors, and its synergistic anti-cancer effect with other medications It can interrupt the production and development of various tumors such as breast cancer [8], lung. Its combination with curcumin has been reported to inhibit gastric
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