Assessment of safety and embryotoxicity of (−)‐Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate

Abstract

The beneficial effects of green tea are attributed primarily to (−)‐Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG). However, it has been studied very little about their toxicity when administered at high doses or as a pure compound. Because of this, it is important to assess safety. We used human tumor and no tumor cell lines, we assessed the viability and proliferation by MTT assay, identifies the type of cell death and alterations in the cell cycle by flow cytometry. We evaluated the antifungal effect in yeast (C. albicans 10231, C. albicans 752 and C. krussei). Embryotoxic effect was evaluated on chicken embryos. 293‐Q cell proliferation decreased from 100 μM, produced death by necrosis and decreased G0/G1 phase from 1 μM. WRL‐68 cells, increased viability from 100 μM, decreased proliferation, altered S phase and apoptotic death occurred only at 1000 μM. Produced an inhibition on the growth of C. 10231 and C. krussei but not on C. albicans 752. It produced no embryotoxic effects. Our conclusion is that the use of EGCG is safe at concentrations below 100μM and is not embryotoxic.