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Review
. 2017 Aug 12;22(8):1337.
doi: 10.3390/molecules22081337.

A Review of the Antiviral Role of Green Tea Catechins

Jun Xu  1 , Zhao Xu  2 , Wenming Zheng  3
Affiliations
Review

A Review of the Antiviral Role of Green Tea Catechins

Jun Xu et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

Over the centuries, infectious diseases caused by viruses have seriously threatened human health globally. Viruses are responsible not only for acute infections but also many chronic infectious diseases. To prevent diseases caused by viruses, the discovery of effective antiviral drugs, in addition to vaccine development, is important. Green tea catechins (GTCs) are polyphenolic compounds from the leaves of Camelliasinensis. In recent decades, GTCs have been reported to provide various health benefits against numerous diseases. Studies have shown that GTCs, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), have antiviral effects against diverse viruses. The aim of this review is to summarize the developments regarding the antiviral activities of GTCs, to discuss the mechanisms underlying these effects and to offer suggestions for future research directions and perspectives on the antiviral effects of EGCG.

Keywords: antiviral activity; chronic infectious diseases; green tea catechins; mechanism.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The founding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Structures of green tea catechins.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Inhibitory effects of EGCG against viruses at different stages of viral invasion. In this figure, to summarize many different viruses and models, according to the genome replication (omitting the type of nucleic acid), the viruses are divided into two types: nuclear virus and cytoplasmic virus. The symbol “⊥” indicates the sites of GTC functions its antiviral effects.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The structurally modified EGCG or dimers with with stronger effects against virus. (a) EGCG-monopalmitate derivatives composed of four regioisomers in different proportions of 1, 2, 3 and 4 against IAV and HSV-1. The EGCG dimers theasinensin A (b), P2 (c), and theaflavin-3, 3-digallate (d) inactivating HSV-1 and HSV-2 more effectively than monomer.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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