Antibacterial green tea catechins from a molecular perspective: mechanisms of action and structure–activity relationships

This review summarizes the mechanisms of antibacterial action of green tea catechins, discussing the structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies for each mechanism. The antibacterial activity of green tea catechins results from a variety of mechanisms that can be broadly classified into the following groups: (1) inhibition of virulence factors (toxins and extracellular matrix); (2) cell wall and cell membrane disruption; (3) inhibition of intracellular enzymes; (4) oxidative stress; (5) DNA damage; and (6) iron chelation. These mechanisms operate simultaneously with relative importance differing among bacterial strains. In all SAR studies, the highest antibacterial activity is observed for galloylated compounds (EGCG, ECG, and theaflavin digallate). This observation, combined with numerous experimental and theoretical evidence, suggests that catechins share a common binding mode, characterized by the formation of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions with their target.