Description
General description
(−)-Epicatechin (EC) belongs to the group of flavanols and is abundantly present in cacao and cacao products. The chemical structure of EC includes an oxygenated heterocycle with a 4-hydroxyl group linked with two aromatic rings.
Application
(−)-Epicatechin (EC) has been used:
as an antioxidant to downregulate nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate hydrogen (NADPH) oxidase and improve insulin sensitivity in in vivo (high fat-fed mice) and in vitro (HepG2 cells) studies
to study its effect on blood pressure, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and anxiety-like behavior on borderline hypertensive rat (BHR) models
to test its effect on neuronal survival in the hippocampus of middle-aged rats on swimming training, under oxidative stress
to study its antioxidant activity in dark chocolate
as a characteristic compound in polyphenols analysis
Biochem/physiol Actions
Epicatechin enhances the skeletal muscle structure in heart failure patients and minimizes cardiometabolic risks. It can be used for treating sarcopenia. Epicatechin reduces myostatin and β-galactosidase and increases the level of markers of muscle growth.
