Aim of the study: Antioxidants play an important role in maintaining physiological homeostasis. Recent literature emphasises the potential therapeutic effects of natural antioxidants that play anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects applicable in preventing oxidative stress-induced injury, which characterises their pathogenesis. The goal of this study was to evaluate the protective role of EGCG on the HeLa cell line and cancerous cells.

Material and methods: The HeLa cell line and cervical cancer biopsies (CCB) were treated with varying doses of antioxidants to determine their effects. Thereafter, hydrogen peroxide (0–10 nM) – an ROS-generating compound – was co-cultured with varying doses of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). The effect of this compound on superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity was assessed.

Result: The activity of SOD and GPx was protected significantly in the treatment of EGCG in cervical cancer biopsies and HeLa cell line.

Hypothesis: It is hypothesised that EGCG has free radical scavenging properties.

Conclusions: EGCG protected the activity SOD and GPx equally in cervical cancer biopsies (CCB) and HeLa cell line.