Natural iron chelators from tea

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and Epicatechin-3-gallate from Green Tea
Decrease Plasma Non-Transferrin Bound Iron and Erythrocyte Oxidative

Authors: Thephinlap, C.1; Ounjaijean, S.1; Khansuwan, U.1; Fucharoen,
S.1; Porter, J. B.1; Srichairatanakool, S.1

Source: Medicinal Chemistry, Volume 3, Number 3, May 2007, pp.
289-296(8)

Publisher: Bentham Science
Abstract:

β-Thalassemia patients suffer from secondary iron overload caused by
increased iron absorption and multiple blood transfusions. Excessive
iron catalyzes free-radical formation, causing oxidative tissue
damage. Non-transferrin bound iron (NTBI) detected in thalassemic
plasma is highly toxic and chelatable. Desferrioxamine and deferiprone
are used to treat the iron overload, but many side effects are found.
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and epicatechin gallate (ECG) in green
tea (GT) show strong antioxidant properties. We separated the EGCG and
ECG from GT extract using an HPLC, and examined their iron-binding and
free-radical scavenging activities. They bound Fe3+ rapidly to form a
complex with a predominant absorption at 560 nm. EGCG and ECG bound
chemical Fe3+ and chelated the NTBI in a time- and dose dependent
manner. They also decreased oxidative stress in iron-treated
erythrocytes. In conclusion, EGCG and ECG could be natural iron
chelators that efficiently decrease the levels of NTBI and free
radicals in iron overload.

Keywords: Epigallocatechin-3-gallate; epicatechin-3-gallate; green
tea; iron overload; non-transferrin bound iron; oxidative stress

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.2174/157340607780620608

Affiliations: 1: Department of Biochemistry,Faculty of Medicine,
Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.

A cup of TEAsferal anyone?

yeh ill av a cup , or 2 or 3 lol !!! better than injecting lol !!!

Actually, green tea extract has been shown to be a good iron chelator and strong anti-oxidant. Drinking tea has good benefits but the extract is much more effective.

http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php?topic=1535.0;highlight=green+tea+extract

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16798656
Green tea (GT) shows many pharmacological effects, particularly antioxidative and iron-chelating capacities. This study was performed to investigate the ability of GT extracts to reduce plasma NTBI concentration and oxidative stress in vitro. The Fe(3+) was found to bind to GT crude extract and form a complex. Green tea crude extract time- and dose-dependently decreased plasma NTBI concentration and counteracted the increase of oxidative stress in both Fe(2+)-EDTA-treated human plasma and erythrocytes. Green tea is a bifunctional natural product that could be relevant for management of iron overload and oxidative stress.

Products like green tea extract and IP6 can be used as supplements to chelation and also because they are both powerful anti-oxidants which can combat the stress iron causes to cells.