The Effect of Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Administration on Interleukin-6 and Malondialdehyde in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Neuroinflammatory and oxidative stress processes are suspected to be the cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) administration on interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) in valproic acid-induced animal models of autism. The method includes a randomised experiment of pregnant Mus musculus administered intraperitoneally using 600 mg/kg body weight (BW) of valproic acid. Mus musculus was split into a positive control, a negative control, and a treatment group that received a valproic acid injection and administered EGCG orally at doses of 2, 20, and 200 mg/kg BW, each containing six mice. The positive and negative control group was administered injections of normal saline and valproic acid, respectively. Mice were monitored until reproduction, and the brains were examined immunohistochemically on day 40. The results showed that IL-6 and MDA expression were significantly higher in the positive control group than in the negative control, using immunohistochemistry. The treatment group with EGCG administration at doses of 2, 20, and 200 mg/kg BW in valproic acid-induced Mus musculus presented no difference in IL-6 expression and MDA compared to the negative control group. However, a significant decline was observed in the positive control group. Administration of EGCG at doses of 2 mg/kg BW, 20 mg/kg BW, and 200 mg/kg BW had a positive effect on reducing IL-6 expression and MDA in animal models of autism.