Effect Of Egcg On The Dna In Presence Of Uv Radiation

The exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is clearly a current concern since it damages the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and increases the likelihood of developing skin cancer. On the other hand, green tea compounds such as (-)epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) present several biological properties and, are well-known for its antioxidant activity. The aim of this work is evaluate the effect of the UV radiation on DNA in presence of EGCG molecules. Results of the evolution of the UV-visible spectra with the UV irradiation suggest that EGCG act like an intercalant molecule and a micromolar concentration of EGCG is effective to induce a strong degradation on the DNA pyrimidines bases under UV radiation. This achievement can lead to a novel class of non-binding safe molecules capable of affinity interaction with the DNA as intercalant molecule which can be used as anti-tumor drugs.