A powerful antioxidant found in green tea may be responsible for the beverage’s heralded anticancer benefits. New research shows that the antioxidant, known as EGCG, binds to a protein found on tumor cells and dramatically slows their growth. Researchers say previous studies have shown that green tea helps protect against a variety of cancers, such as lung, prostate, and breast, but the mechanisms for these effects are not known. In the study, published in the April issue of Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, researchers identified a potential target for the antitumor action of EGCG on human lung cancer cells that inhibited cancer cells’ growth. By learning more about this target, researcher may be able to develop new treatments that maximize green tea’s cancer-fighting potential.
