Epicatechin is a bioactive compound classed as a flavonol, a plant based phytochemical which is found in a number of foods in trace amounts, including green tea and most famously, dark chocolate.
Diverse health benefits
Epicatechin is a type of flavonoid which is mainly found in Spondias mombin green tea (Camellia sinensis) and dark chocolate. Polyphenols constitute 30-40% of the extractable solids from the dried stem bark. The main catechins present are epicatechin, and epigallocatechin.2 Epicatechins have proven diverse benefits to human health, reducing the risks of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. Their pharmacological effects are anti-hyperlipidaemic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, anticarcinogenic, and cytoprotective. These flavonoids can be used as therapeutic agents individually or in combination with other synthetic drugs and antibiotics to produce a new generation of phytopharmaceuticals.
Attenuation of diabetes
Studies show that epicatechin and other flavonoids exert a protective role on osmotic fragility of cells, similar to that of insulin. The mechanism of action of epicatechin is different to that of insulin and remains speculative. In diabetic red blood cells epicatechin causes an increase in acetylcholinesterase activity. This activity is significantly lower in type 2 diabetic patients.
Heart health
Epicatechin reduces lipid peroxidation and inhibits platelet aggregation. Epicatechin cause blood vessel dilation by regulating nitric oxide, a molecule secreted by the blood vessel endothelium to signal surrounding muscle to relax.