Research Database

Author: Dale G. Nagle and Daneel Ferreira and Yu-Dong Zhou

The compound (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the major catechin found in green tea [Camellia sinensis L. Ktze. (Theaceae)]. This polyphenolic compound and several related catechins are believed to be responsible for the health benefits associated with the consumption of green tea. The potential health benefits ascribed to green tea and EGCG include antioxidant effects, cancer chemoprevention, improving cardiovascular health, enhancing weight loss, protecting the skin from the damage caused by ionizing radiation, and others. The compound EGCG has been shown to regulate dozens of disease-specific molecular targets. Many of these molecular targets are only affected by concentrations of EGCG that are far above the levels achieved by either drinking green tea or consuming moderate doses of green tea extract-based dietary supplements. In spite of this, well-designed double-blinded controlled clinical studies have recently demonstrated the efficacy of green tea extracts and purified EGCG products in patients. Therefore, this review highlights results from what the authors believe to be some of the most clinically significant recent studies and describes current developments in the stereoselective total synthesis of EGCG.

 

 

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Author: Nurulain T. Zaveri

Can drinking several cups of green tea a day keep the doctor away? This certainly seems so, given the popularity of this practice in East Asian culture and the increased interest in green tea in the Western world. Several epidemiological studies have shown beneficial effects of green tea in cancer, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases. The health benefits associated with green tea consumption have also been corroborated in animal studies of cancer chemoprevention, hypercholesterolemia, artherosclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and other aging-related disorders. However, the use of green tea as a cancer chemopreventive or for other health benefits has been confounded by the low oral bioavailability of its active polyphenolic catechins, particularly epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the most active catechin. This review summarizes the purported beneficial effects of green tea and EGCG in various animal models of human diseases. Dose-related differences in the effects of EGCG in cancer versus neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, as well as discrepancies between doses used in in vitro studies and achievable plasma understanding of the in vivo effects of green tea catechins in humans, before the use of green tea is widely adopted as health-promoting measure.

 

 

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Author: F. Garcia and J.M. Feugang and J. Wang and S.J. Cheng and C.P. Zou

 

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Author: S. Bettuzzi and M. Brausi and F. Rizzi and G. Castagnetti and G. Peracchia and S. Astancolle and A. Corti

 

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Author: Brad A. Sutherland and Rosanna M.A. Rahman and Ian Appleton

Catechins are dietary polyphenolic compounds associated with a wide variety of beneficial health effects in vitro, in vivo and clinically. These therapeutic properties have long been attributed to the catechins' antioxidant and free radical scavenging effects. Emerging evidence has shown that catechins and their metabolites have many additional mechanisms of action by affecting numerous sites, potentiating endogenous antioxidants and eliciting dual actions during oxidative stress, ischemia and inflammation. Catechins have proven to modulate apoptosis at various points in the sequence, including altering expression of anti- and proapoptotic genes. Their anti-inflammatory effects are activated through a variety of different mechanisms, including modulation of nitric oxide synthase isoforms. Catechins' actions of attenuating oxidative stress and the inflammatory response may, in part, account for their confirmed neuroprotective capabilities following cerebral ischemia. The versatility of the mechanisms of action of catechins increases their therapeutic potential as interventions for numerous clinical disorders. However, more epidemiological and clinical studies need to be undertaken for their efficacy to be fully elucidated.

 

 

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Author: David J. Weiss and Eric J. Austria and Christopher R. Anderton and Richard Hompesch and Ashley Jander

Dietary supplements are growing in popularity as a source of catechins such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). The first determination of five catechins in green tea extract dietary supplements using an extraction followed by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) with UV detection is presented here. The optimum run buffer is 5 mM borate–60 mM phosphate with 50 mM SDS at pH 7.00 with detection at 210 nm. The limit of detection is 2–3 μg/mL (S/N = 3) and the limit of quantitation is 6–8 μg/mL (S/N = 10). Results indicate that the amount of catechins varies greatly among manufacturers, between capsules of the same manufacturers, and between batches.

 

 

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Author: Shih-Pin Huang and Shang-Da Huang

Author: Dorothy M. Morré and D. James Morré

Grapes and grape extracts were compared for inhibition of a growth-related and cancer-specific form of cell surface NADH oxidase with protein disulfide-thiol interchange activity designated tNOX from human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells and growth of HeLa and mouse mammary 4T1 cells in culture and transplanted tumors in mice. Grapes and grape extracts of several varieties had activity. With an extracted grape preparation provided by the California Table Grape Commission, an active fraction was eluted with methanol from a Diaion HP-20 column after removal of inactive water-soluble materials. Grape skins were a much more potent source than either grape pulp, juice or seeds. Ethanol extracts of the ground freeze-dried pomace was an excellent source. The grape extracts interacted, often synergistically, with decaffeinated green tea extracts both in the inhibition of tNOX activity and in the inhibition of cancer cell growth. Intratumoral injections of a 25:1 mixture of a green tea extract plus ground freeze-dried pomace was nearly as effective as standard synergistic green tea–Capsicum mixtures in inhibiting growth of 4T1 mammary tumors in situ in mice.

 

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Author: N. Kavantzas and A. Chatziioannou and A.E. Yanni and D. Tsakayannis and D. Balafoutas and G. Agrogiannis and D. Perrea

Background and Aims Since the development of the atherosclerotic plaque requires the growth of new microvessels in the plaque itself (vasa vasorum), we postulated that green tea may exert an anti-atherogenic effect. Methods and results Thirteen male New Zealand white rabbits were studied for 17 weeks. All rabbits were fed an hypecholesterolemic diet. After 2 weeks of adaptation rabbits were randomly assigned into two groups. Animals in Group A were fed the hypercholesterolemic diet and received plain tap water ad libitum. Animals in Group B were fed with the same diet and furthermore received 2.5% (g/g) green tea for 17 weeks. Conclusion According to our results the atherosclerotic lesions were more severe in Group B than in Group A specimens. Also, the number of \{VEGF\} positively stained foam cells and smooth muscle cells of Group B were significantly greater than in Group A. About 30% less plaque was found in Group A than in the control group (Group B). So, our study showed that the consumption of green tea leads to a reduction of atherosclerosis as well as a significant decrease of VEGF expression in the atherosclerotic plaque of rabbit aorta. The hypothesis that probably green tea may produce its anti-atherogenetic effect through an anti-angiogenetic mechanism needs more investigation.

 

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Author: Pon Velayutham Anandh Babu and Kuruvimalai Ekambaram Sabitha and Chennam Srinivasulu Shyamaladevi

Diabetes-induced hyperlipidemia, oxidative stress and protein glycation impair cellular calcium and sodium homeostasis associated with abnormal membrane-bound enzyme activities resulting in cardiac dysfunction in diabetes. To explore the cardioprotective mechanism of green tea in diabetes, we measured the changes in the levels of calcium, sodium, potassium and the activities of Na+/K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase in green tea treated diabetic rat hearts. The effect of green tea on triglycerides, lipid peroxidation and protein glycation in diabetic heart were also measured to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (STZ, 60 mg/kg i.p.). Six weeks after the induction of diabetes, some of the diabetic rats were treated orally with green tea extract (GTE) (300 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks. GTE produced reduction in blood glucose and lowered the levels of lipid peroxides, triglycerides and extent of protein glycation in the heart of diabetic rats. GTE blunted the rise in cardiac [Ca2+] and [Na+] whereas increased the activities of Ca2+-ATPase and Na+/K+-ATPase in diabetic rats. In conclusion, the data provide support to the therapeutic effect of GTE and suggest that a possible mechanism of action may be associated with the attenuation of the rise in [Ca2+] and [Na+] by ameliorating Ca2+-ATPase and Na+/K+-ATPase activities.

 

 

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