The tea component epicatechin gallate is being researched because in vitro experiments showed it can reverse methicillin resistance in bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus.[1] If confirmed, this means the combined intake of a tea extract containing this component might also enhance the effectiveness of methicillin treatment against some resistant bacteria in vivo.[citation needed]
Epicatechin, as well as many other flavonoids, has been found to act as a non-selective antagonist of the opioid receptors, albeit with somewhat low affinity.[4]
^ abShiota, S; Shimizu, M; Mizushima, T; Ito, H; Hatano, T; Yoshida, T; Tsuchiya, T (1999). "Marked reduction in the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of beta-lactams in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus produced by epicatechin gallate, an ingredient of green tea (Camellia sinensis)". Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin22 (12): 1388–90. doi:10.1248/bpb.22.1388. PMID10746177.
^Danila, Ana-Maria; Kotani, Akira; Hakamata, Hideki; Kusu, Fumiyo (2007). "Determination of Rutin, Catechin, Epicatechin, and Epicatechin Gallate in BuckwheatFagopyrum esculentumMoench by Micro-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Electrochemical Detection". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry55 (4): 1139–43. doi:10.1021/jf062815i. PMID17253718.
^Souquet, Jean-Marc; Cheynier, Véronique; Brossaud, Franck; Moutounet, Michel (1996). "Polymeric proanthocyanidins from grape skins". Phytochemistry43 (2): 509. doi:10.1016/0031-9422(96)00301-9.