A Presurgical Study of Lecithin Formulation of Green Tea Extract in Women with Early Breast Cancer

Abstract

Epidemiologic data support an inverse association between green tea intake and breast cancer risk. Greenselect Phytosome (GSP) is a lecithin formulation of a caffeine-free green tea catechin extract. The purpose of the study was to determine the tissue distribution of epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) and its effect on cell proliferation and circulating biomarkers in breast cancer patients. Twelve early breast cancer patients received GSP 300 mg, equivalent to 44.9 mg of EGCG, daily for 4 weeks prior to surgery. The EGCG levels were measured before (free) and after (total) enzymatic hydrolysis by HPLC-MS/MS in plasma, urine, breast cancer tissue, and surrounding normal breast tissue. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline, before the last administration, and 2 hours later. Repeated administration of GSP achieved levels of total EGCG ranging from 17 to 121 ng/mL in plasma. Despite a high between-subject variability, total EGCG was detectable in all tumor tissue samples collected up to 8 ng/g. Median total EGCG concentration was higher in the tumor as compared with the adjacent normal tissue (3.18 ng/g vs. 0 ng/g, = 0.02). Free EGCG concentrations ranged from 8 to 65.8 ng/mL in plasma ( between last administration and 2 hours after <0.001). Free EGCG plasma levels showed a significant positive correlation with the Ki-67 decrease in tumor tissue ( = 0.02). No change in any other biomarkers was noted, except for a slight increase in testosterone levels after treatment. Oral GSP increases bioavailability of EGCG, which is detectable in breast tumor tissue and is associated with antiproliferative effects on breast cancer tissue. .

EGCG Mediated Targeting of Deregulated Signaling Pathways and Non-Coding RNAs in Different Cancers: Focus on JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-Catenin, TGF/SMAD, NOTCH, SHH/GLI, and TRAIL Mediated Signaling Pathways

“…Different nanoformulations, including EGCG, also showed great biocompatibility with no or very modest toxicity in animal models [105,106]. All these findings encourage the efforts to invest in biocompatible EGCG NPs to be used on humans, as interventional studies in pre-cancerous lesions, including prostate, breast, colon, and Barret's Esophagus [107][108][109][110] demonstrated EGCG efficacy despite the poor bioavailability and low plasma concentrations. Therefore, EGCG NPs are expected to improve the chemopreventive effects and to widen the applications in pre-neoplastic lesions, where the results were unclear or incomplete.…”

“…Not only in breast cancer patients or women at high breast cancer risk, EGCG is well-tolerated by chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients as well [116]. Further, EGCG, at a daily dose as low as 44.9 mg for 4 weeks prior to surgery, has been reported to result in increased bioavailability, including accumulations in breast tumor tissue, in early stage breast cancer patients [108].…”

Effects of Chinaberry Tree Extract on Proliferation, Apoptosis, Migration and Cell Cycle Distribution of Human Breast Cancer Cells

“…Treatment for cancers with plant extracts has been a hotspot in the medical field. Given the single monomeric composition of plant extracts, those anticancer components can be easily separated and purified, with respect to breast cancer, would inhibit cancer growth in a more scientific and accurate way [10,11] . In this investigation, MCF-7 human breast cancer cells were treated with Szechwan Chinaberry extracts, followed by detection of cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and cyclic distribution using MTT assay, immunofluorescence, trans well assay and flow cytometry respectively, so as to determine the intervening effects of the extracts on these cells and their clinical applications.…”

Responses of Different Cancer Cells to White Tea Aqueous Extract

“…Tea, as one of the most frequently consumed beverages, has attracted a great deal of attention due to its multiple beneficial effects on health including antioxidant and anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antitoxoplasmal, antitrypanosomal, and anticoccidialactions (Fujiki, Sueoka, Watanabe, & Suganuma, 2015;Zhong et al, 2016;Toda et al, 1991;Lazzeroni et al, 2017). White tea is a special tea variety that has been used as a medical beverage for many years.…”