What exactly is epigallocatechin-3-gallate? It is also called EGCG, and it is a compound found in green tea. Research appearing in the September 21, 2005 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience studied the effect of EGCG on the brains of mice genetically programmed to develop Alzheimer’s disease. The mice were given EGCG injections every day for several months. Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the development of plaques on the brain, called amyloid plaques. They literally “clog” the brain. The mice that were injected with the EGCG had as much as a 54% reduction in the formation of amyloid plaques. It is possible that EGCG prevents the initial process that leads to amyloid formation in brain cells, according to the researchers.