Effect of consumption of green tea extracts on the plasma molecular signature

Abstract

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major catechin present in green tea, displays diverse biological activities as anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, anti-proliferation and anti-microbial among others. In the present work it was evaluated the effect of the consumption of EGCG along 90 days on healthy human volunteers (n=30) on plasma molecular signature acquired by mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy. It was observed by principal component analysis of spectra that plasma samples presented a significant different molecular profile after 90 days of EGCG consumption. Based on the corresponding loading vector, it was observed that EGCG consumption affected the profile of the major molecules as proteins and lipids. Were identified diverse ratios of spectral bands statistically different (p < 0.01) after EGCG consumption, according to a high impact of EGCG on the general metabolism. MIR spectroscopy enabled to acquire the plasma whole molecular signature in a highly sensitive and specific mode. Since the MIR spectra is also acquired in an economic, simple, fast and high-throughput mode, the technique presents promising characteristics to acquire information in large-scale epidemiological studies towards a better understand of the in vivo effect of EGCG.