Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a strong antioxidant compound present in inexperienced tea, could maintain promise for the remedy and prevention of uterine fibroids, in accordance with researchers at Johns Hopkins Medication. The examine, which targeted on figuring out the biochemical mechanisms underlying the motion of EGCG in fibroid cells, was just lately printed in Scientific Experiences.
Uterine fibroids are the most typical noncancerous tumors discovered within the uterus, characterised by the expansion of easy muscle cells and a big connective tissue matrix. It’s estimated that 77 % of ladies will develop fibroids of their lifetime, with greater charges noticed in Black and Hispanic ladies in comparison with white ladies.
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The analysis group, led by James Segars Jr., MD, a professor of gynecology and obstetrics on the Johns Hopkins College College of Medication, aimed to discover how EGCG might successfully deal with and forestall uterine fibroids. Their examine targeted on human fibroid cells grown in a laboratory setting, the place they have been handled with an extract of EGCG to research the potential of oral EGCG supplementation as a remedy.
Signs of uterine fibroids can vary from none to heavy uterine bleeding, pelvic ache, and infertility. Uterine fibroids are a number one reason for hysterectomy in america, with surgical therapies typically involving the removing of fibroid tumors from the uterine wall.
Treating endometriosis with inexperienced tea
Segars emphasised the importance of discovering a secure nonsurgical remedy for uterine fibroids, as present administration choices are restricted. “The aim of this examine was to look at how EGCG works to deal with and forestall uterine fibroids,” Segars mentioned in an announcement. “There is no such thing as a customary protocol for uterine fibroid illness administration or prevention, no instruments to stop their progress, so discovering a secure nonsurgical remedy is essential.”
Within the examine, the analysis group utilized laboratory cultures of uterine fibroids obtained from residing sufferers. They particularly targeted on protein expression related to the extracellular matrix of fibroid cells, investigating the impression of EGCG remedy on fibronectin, cyclin D1, and connective tissue progress issue (CTGF) proteins.
The fibroid cells have been uncovered to a focus of 100 micromoles per liter of EGCG in progress media for twenty-four hours. Subsequently, a Western blot evaluation was carried out to measure the degrees of cyclin D1 and CTGF proteins within the EGCG-treated fibroid cells in comparison with untreated cells.
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The outcomes revealed a big discount in fibronectin protein ranges by 46 % to 52 % within the EGCG-treated fibroid cells. Moreover, EGCG disrupted pathways related to fibroid tumor cell progress, motion, signaling, and metabolism, leading to as much as an 86 % lower in CTGF protein ranges in comparison with the management group.
Md Soriful Islam, PhD, MSc, a postdoctoral fellow on the Johns Hopkins College College of Medication, prompt that EGCG dietary supplements might doubtlessly alleviate signs and sluggish the expansion of fibroids in a pure and simply accessible method.
“The outcomes from this examine present that EGCG targets many signaling pathways concerned in fibroid progress, significantly the extracellular matrix,” Islam mentioned in an announcement. “EGCG dietary supplements may very well be an simply accessible and pure technique to relieve signs and sluggish fibroid progress.”
The examine’s outcomes align with the continued medical trial known as FRIEND (Fibroids and Unexplained Infertility Therapy With Epigallocatechin Gallate; A Pure Compound in Inexperienced Tea), which investigates the results of EGCG in ladies with fibroids who’re attempting to get pregnant. Nevertheless, the researchers be aware that additional research are wanted.
Future analysis on EGCG will contain large-scale medical trials with numerous affected person teams to find out optimum dosages and potential unintended effects of EGCG supplementation.
Plant-based food regimen helps reproductive well being
Along with inexperienced tea, different research have found the ability of crops in supporting ladies’s reproductive well being. A examine printed earlier this 12 months within the medical journal Frontiers of Diet discovered {that a} plant-based food regimen, together with different diet interventions together with avoiding meat and consuming seaweed, could assist forestall and deal with endometriosis.
Endometriosis, which impacts roughly 190 million ladies and ladies of reproductive age globally, is characterised by the presence of endometrial tissues outdoors the uterine lining, usually on the exterior floor of the uterus, the ovaries, fallopian tubes, stomach wall, or intestines.
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The examine discovered that decreasing dietary fats and growing dietary fiber, which is discovered solely in plant meals, has been proven to cut back estrogen ranges by as much as 25 %—thereby decreasing the ache and irritation related to endometriosis.
Conversely, ladies consuming greater than two servings of crimson meat per day had a 56 % larger threat of endometriosis, in contrast with these consuming lower than one serving of crimson meat per week.
“Consuming meat and fatty meals could result in extra estrogen within the physique, which may trigger endometriosis ache to flare, whereas fiber—discovered solely in fruits, greens, grains, and beans—could assist scale back ache by flushing extra estrogen out of the physique,” Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, director of medical analysis on the PCRM, mentioned in an announcement.