Gallocatechol or gallocatechin (EGC) is a flavan-3-ol, a type of chemical compound including catechin, with the gallate residue being in an isomeric trans position. It is one of the antioxidant chemicals found in food. This compound possesses two epimers. The most common, (+)-gallocatechin (GC), CAS number 970-73-0, is found notably in green tea. Other sources of (+)-gallocatechin are bananas, persimmon and pomegranate.[citation needed] The other enantiomer is called (-)-gallocatechin or ent-gallocatechin. This compound had been shown to have moderate affinity to the human cannabinoid receptor, which may contribute to the health benefits found by consuming green tea.Epigallocatechin is an other type of catechin, with the gallate residue being in an isomeric cis position. It can be found in St John's wort.
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