['To investigate the protective effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major polyphenol source in green tea, against hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion injury in mice.', 'The partial hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion injury model was created by employing the hanging-weight method in C57BL/6 male mice. EGCG (50\u2009mg/kg) was administered via an intraperitoneal injection 45\u2009min before performing the reperfusion. A number of markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis and liver injury were measured after the ischaemia-reperfusion injury had been induced.', 'The treatment groups were: sham-operated (Sham, n\u2009=\u200910), hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IR, n\u2009=\u200910), and EGCG with ischaemia-reperfusion injury (EGCG-treated IR, n\u2009=\u200910). Hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion injury increased the levels of biochemical and histological markers of liver injury, increased the levels of malondialdehyde, reduced the glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratio, increased the levels of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation markers, decreased B-cell lymphoma 2 levels, and increased the levels of Bax, cytochrome c, cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved caspase-9. Pretreatment with EGCG ameliorated all of these changes.'] Does epigallocatechin-3-gallate protect against hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion injury by reducing oxidative stress and apoptotic cell death?