{
  "slug": "egcg",
  "name": "EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate)",
  "alternate_names": [
    "EGCG",
    "Epigallocatechin Gallate",
    "Green Tea Extract (EGCG-standardized)",
    "Teavigo"
  ],
  "mechanism": [
    "Direct free-radical scavenging and metal-ion chelation (research context: in vitro and human oxidative-stress markers such as MDA / lipid peroxidation)",
    "NRF2 / HO-1 antioxidant-pathway activation (mechanistic research context)",
    "AMPK pathway modulation and lipid-metabolism-related research (animal plus human metabolic endpoints)",
    "DNMT (DNA methyltransferase) activity modulation, an epigenetic mechanism studied mainly in vitro (IC50 ~0.5-5 microM); oral bioavailability is low and whether effective human concentrations are reached is uncertain, so this stays at the mechanism/education level",
    "OATP-transporter inhibition and related pharmacokinetic-interaction research"
  ],
  "target": [
    "NRF2",
    "AMPK",
    "DNMT1/3A/3B",
    "HO-1",
    "BDNF"
  ],
  "use_case": [
    "antioxidant / oxidative-stress-marker research context",
    "metabolism and weight management research (fat oxidation / energy expenditure, requires diet and exercise)",
    "blood-lipid / cardiovascular research (LDL-C / total cholesterol)",
    "blood glucose / glycemic research (fasting glucose / HbA1c / insulin sensitivity)",
    "skin UV photoprotection research (oral green-tea polyphenols)",
    "cognitive-function research (including the APOE-e4 PENSA RCT population)",
    "oral / gum-health research"
  ],
  "body_system": [
    "EPIGEN",
    "CARDIO",
    "CELL"
  ],
  "evidence_tier": "A",
  "evidence_anchor_pmid_count": 3,
  "dosage_range": "Antioxidant/anti-inflammatory, lipid and glycemic human studies commonly use 400-800 mg EGCG/day for 8-12 weeks; weight-management studies use 270-800 mg EGCG/day (often combined with 80-300 mg caffeine); skin UV-protection studies use ~540 mg EGCG/day (1080 mg green-tea catechins) for 12 weeks; acute cognition studies use 300-400 mg EGCG. The hard safety ceiling is <=800 mg EGCG/day (EFSA 2018); above this dose hepatotoxicity risk rises significantly. Educational reference, not a dosing recommendation.",
  "safety_notes": "Hepatotoxicity is the first hard red line: EFSA 2018 set a <=800 mg EGCG/day ceiling, above which hepatocellular-injury cases (ALT/AST rising 10-100 fold, latency 1-6 months) increase significantly; USP lists it as Class B, NIH LiverTox includes it, and rare liver-transplant/death cases exist. Any description must co-present the dose ceiling plus 'take with food' (high doses on an empty stomach worsen the risk). EGCG also strongly chelates non-heme iron (reducing iron absorption 30-70%, so anemia/pregnancy warrant caution); it has a pharmacokinetic interaction with OATP substrates such as nadolol; and supplement safety data in pregnancy/lactation are insufficient, so it is not recommended. A hard vault red line: 'liver-protective / hepatoprotective' claims are absolutely prohibited (because EGCG itself is hepatotoxic, any liver-support / liver-enzyme-lowering framing is seriously misleading).",
  "regulatory": {
    "fda": "Green tea catechins hold an FDA GRAS notice (GRN 259, catechins from green tea extract); EGCG is sold as a DSHEA dietary supplement with structure/function claims permitted (30-day notification + disclaimer). Safety caveat: NIH LiverTox lists green tea extract / EGCG as a known cause of liver injury and USP places it in Class B. 'Liver-protective / hepatoprotective' framing and disease/anti-cancer claims are prohibited.",
    "efsa": "Permitted supplement ingredient (Directive 2002/46/EC) but with no authorized health claim (all 2010-2011 applications rejected); safety upper limit <=800 mg EGCG/day (EFSA 2018, EFSA Journal 2018;16(4):5239); several countries (e.g. France's ANSES) recommend labeling hepatotoxicity risk and a high-dose-on-empty-stomach warning. China NMPA: tea polyphenols are a health-food raw material with approved 'antioxidant' and 'assists in lowering blood lipids' claims.",
    "anvisa": "Food supplement (RDC 243/2018 + IN 28/2018 positive list); antioxidant-related claims permitted; must carry an adverse-effect warning and a take-with-food instruction."
  },
  "authorized_claims": [],
  "ingredient_hub_url": "https://asxan.ai/ingredients/egcg/",
  "related_goal_slugs": [
    "weight-management",
    "heart-health"
  ],
  "related_lifestyle_slugs": [
    "intermittent-fasting"
  ],
  "last_evidence_review": "2026-06-13",
  "schema_version": "nc-public-v0.2",
  "api_version": "nc-public-v0.3",
  "_meta": {
    "last_evidence_review": "2026-06-13",
    "ip_axes_disclosed": {
      "public_axes": [
        "mechanism",
        "target",
        "use_case",
        "body_system",
        "evidence_tier",
        "dosage_range",
        "safety_notes",
        "regulatory",
        "authorized_claims"
      ],
      "ip_axes_not_exposed": [
        "proprietary_formula_ratios",
        "clinical_protocol_internals",
        "rnd_pipeline_compounds",
        "supplier_specific_grade_specifications",
        "unpublished_endpoint_data"
      ],
      "rationale": "asxan.ai surfaces the educational, evidence-tier-disclosed slice. Formula composition, clinical-protocol internals, and RnD pipeline data are intentionally outside this public surface."
    }
  }
}