Epigallocatechin gallate ameliorates chronic fatigue syndrome in mice

Behav Brain Res. 2009 Jul 27. [Epub ahead of print]

Epigallocatechin gallate ameliorates chronic fatigue syndrome in mice: Behavioral and Biochemical Evidence.

Sachdeva AK, Kuhad A, Tiwari V, Chopra K. Pharmacology Research Laboratory, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC Centre of Advanced Study, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160 014 India.

Three decades after the coining of the term chronic fatigue syndrome, the diagnosis of this illness is still symptom based and the aetiology remains elusive. Chronic fatigue syndrome pathogenesis seems to be multifactorial and the possible involvement of immune system is supported. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of the epigallocatechin gallate in a mouse model of immunologically-induced chronic fatigue. On 19th day, after lipopolysaccharide/Brucella abortus administration, the mice showed significant increase in immobility period, post swim fatigue and thermal hyperalgesia. Behavioral deficits were coupled with enhanced oxidative-nitrosative stress as evident by increased lipid peroxidation, nitrite levels and decreased endogenous antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione and catalase) and inflammation (increased levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and tissue growth factor-beta). Chronic treatment with epigallocatechin gallate restored these behavioral and biochemical alterations in mice. The present study points out towards the beneficial effect of epigallocatechin gallate in the amelioration of chronic fatigue syndrome and thus may provide a new, effective and powerful strategy to treat chronic fatigue syndrome.

PMID: 19643148 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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written by Maff, August 03, 2009

For those who don't know - epigallocatechin gallate (frequently abbrevaited to EGCG) is a potent antioxidant found predominantly in green tea. It is present in regularly black tea as well but at much lower concentrations. EGCG is also now widely available as a nutritional supplement.

This study is certainly interesting in that EGCG was able to restore all of the biochemical abnormalities in the mice to normal but whether the same would be true in people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome is another matter. Only large randomised-controlled trials of EGCG in patients cant answer this.