Protective effect of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate on acute experimental colitis

We studied the ameliorative effect of (–)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) induced by ethanolic 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) in male 7-week-old rats. Intestinal lesions were associated with macroscopic damage score and measured as increase in myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in mucosa. Pretreatment with EGCG (30 mg/kg daily i.g. for 10 days) significantly reduced macroscopic damage score, inhibited MPO activity and enhanced superoxide dismutase activity. These observations confirmed that EGCG can ameliorate acute experimental colitis by suppression of superoxide generation from colonic tissue.