(-)-Epicatechin gallate prevents alkali-salt mediated fibrillogenesis of hen egg white lysozyme

Green tea polyphenols (GTPs) are found to be potent inhibitors of amyloid fibril formation. We report the effective inhibitory property of (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG) during the alkali-salt induced fibrillogenesis of hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) at 37 degrees C. Spectroscopic techniques such as fluorescence, circular dichroism and microscopic images show that (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG), and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) show moderate inhibition of fibrillation with ECG as the most potent polyphenol. Aromatic interactions, hydrophobic interactions, the radical scavenging activity and autoxidation of polyphenols are likely to be the major reasons for ECG being the most effective inhibitor. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.