Country for PR: Japan
Contributor: Kyodo News JBN
Tuesday, February 15 2022 - 19:00
AsiaNet
HPG: New Breakthrough in Virus Inactivation with Green Tea Catechin (EGCg)
TOKYO, Feb. 15, 2022 /Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/ --

HPG Co., Ltd. (Chuo-ku, Tokyo) has successfully developed a water-soluble 
formulation technology of highly concentrated catechin EGCg (Epigallocatechin 
gallate) with excellent storage stability and initiated procedures for a patent 
application for the technology to stabilize the product at a high concentration 
in aqueous solution.

Green tea catechin EGCg has inactivating effects against viruses. However, it 
has a strong antioxidant effect and highly susceptible to oxidative 
deterioration and lack storage stability. The new formulation overcomes this 
problem by stabilizing a high concentration in water and prevents the virus 
from entering cells by binding to viral proteins against various repeatedly 
mutating viruses such as influenza and novel coronaviruses. It is stabilized at 
a high concentration of 10,000 ppm, and the concentration can be easily 
adjusted by dilution. All components are edible food additives and can be taken 
by people of all ages for oral care.

In addition, there is almost no damage to the original taste, aroma or color of 
existing products due to astringency, bitterness or discoloration peculiar to 
catechin EGCg, and the product can be used in a variety of fields. Since it is 
highly effective against bacteria as well as viruses, it can be used as a 
substitute for alcohol-based hand sanitizers in the kitchen, food handling, and 
as a preventive measure against humans and bird and swine flus.

-Inactivation effect of the component on various influenza viruses

This component inhibited the adsorption of virus particles into cells or the 
entry process against four influenza A and B virus strains. In vitro plaque 
reduction assay was performed using MDCK (Madin-Darby canine kidney) cells and 
it has been proved that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), a green tea catechin, 
has an antiviral effect by inhibiting the adsorption of epigallocatechin 
gallate into cells during the virus replication process.

Methods and Results: 
https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106999/202202026950/_prw_PA3fl_Mn8vh4H6.pdf


-Inactivation effect of the component on the novel coronavirus and SARS virus

Details: 
https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106999/202202026950/_prw_PA2fl_rSucAig1.pdf


It has been confirmed that EGCg at a low concentration of 10 ppm has a certain 
inhibitory effect on human coronavirus (HCoV-229E), which is a close relative 
of SARS-CoV-2 and causes cold symptoms in humans, through the synergistic 
effects of direct inactivation and adsorption inhibition.


Source: HPG Co., Ltd.