Research Database

Author: Susanne M. Henning and Yantao Niu and Yong Liu and Nicolas H. Lee and Yukihiko Hara and Gail D. Thames and Rosario R. Minutti and Catherine L. Carpenter and Hejing Wang and David Heber

Tea polyphenols have strong in vitro antioxidant activity. Due to their limited bioavailability, however, their contribution to in vivo antioxidant activity may depend on the form of administration. A human intervention study was performed to evaluate the bioavailability and antioxidant capacity of (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) administered as a single large dose in the form of either purified EGCG or as green tea extract (Polyphenon E). Plasma concentrations of tea polyphenols were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis combined with coulometric array electrochemical detection (ECD). We found no differences in plasma EGCG concentrations and trolox equivalents determined by the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assay after administration of either form of EGCG. However, we found that the plasma antioxidant activity was significantly affected by changes in the plasma urate concentration, which may have interfered with the effect of tea polyphenols on the antioxidant activity. In addition, lymphocyte 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine to deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG/106dG) ratios were determined by HPLC with ECD. The 8-OHdG/106dG ratios did not change significantly during the 24 h following both EGCG interventions but correlated significantly within individuals determined during the two interventions separated by 1 week. In summary, changes in plasma uric acid due to dietary intake were significantly correlated to the plasma antioxidant activity and exerted a stronger influence on the plasma antioxidant activity compared with the EGCG intervention. In future studies of dietary effects on the plasma antioxidant capacity, changes in plasma uric acid will need to be closely monitored.

 

 

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Author: Han-Ki Park and Dong-Wook Han and Young Hwan Park and Jong-Chul Park

Green tea has shown remarkable anti-inflammatory and cancer chemopreventive effects in many animal tumor bioassays, cell culture systems and epidemiological studies. Many of these biological effects of green tea are mediated by epigallocatechin 3-gallate, the major polyphenol present therein. In this study, the differential biological responses of green tea polyphenols (GTP) were examined in normal rat osteoblasts (NRO) vs. human osteosarcoma (MG-63 and Saos-2) cells. The GTP treatment with micromolar concentrations (0.1, 1, 10 and 100 μM for 24 h) resulted in dose-dependent inhibitions of cell growth and alkaline phosphatase activity, morphological alterations, G0/G1-phase arrest of the cell cycle and induction of apoptosis in both osteosarcoma cells, but not in the NRO. These results suggest that the GTP treatment may be contributed to the differential regulation of cell cycle in normal cells and cancer cells, which can be exploited to craft strategies for the physiological preservation of cells or tissues by GTP.

 

 

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PLE in the analysis of plant compounds: Part I. The application of PLE for HPLC analysis of caffeine in green tea leaves

Author: Andrzej L. Dawidowicz and Dorota Wianowska

A broad spectrum of sample preparation methods is currently used for the isolation of pharmacologically active compounds from plant and herbal materials. The paper compares the effectiveness of infusion, microwave assisted solvent extraction (MASE), matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) and pressurised liquid extraction (PLE) as sample preparation methods for the isolation of caffeine from green tea leaves. The effect of PLE variables, such as extraction temperature, pressure and time, on the yield of caffeine from the investigated matrix is discussed. The obtained results revealed that PLE, in comparison with other sample preparation methods applied, has significantly lower efficacy for caffeine isolation from green tea leaves. The evaluation of PLE conditions leads to the conclusion that elevated pressure applied in the PLE process is the factor hindering the extraction.

 

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Author: Izabela Dobrzyńska and Barbara Szachowicz-Petelska and Justyna Ostrowska and Elżbieta Skrzydlewska and Zbigniew Figaszewski

It is known that aging is characterized by changes in cell metabolism resulting in modification of the structure and function of cell membrane components which is mainly the consequence of reactive oxygen species action. These disturbances are also enhanced by different xenobiotics, e.g. ethanol. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to examine green tea influence on total antioxidant status (TAS) and on composition and electric charge of erythrocyte membrane phospholipids in ethanol intoxicated rats of various ages. Antioxidant abilities of erythrocytes were estimated by measuring TAS. Qualitative and quantitative composition of phospholipids in the membrane was determined by HPLC, while the extent of erythrocytes lipid peroxidation was estimated by HPLC measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) levels. Electrophoresis was used to determine the surface charge density of the rat erythrocyte membrane. It was shown that the process of aging was accompanied by a decrease in TAS and in the total amount of phospholipids as well as by enhancement of lipid peroxidation and increase in surface charge density of erythrocyte membrane. Ethanol administration caused, in term, decrease in TAS and increase in the level of all phospholipids and lipid peroxidation products. Ethanol as well significantly enhanced changes in surface charge density of erythrocyte membrane. The ingestion of green tea partially prevented decrease in erythrocyte antioxidant abilities observed during aging and ethanol intoxication. Moreover, long-term drinking of green tea protects the structure of the erythrocytes membrane disturbed during aging process and/or chronic ethanol intoxication.

 

 

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Author: Mindy Bixby and Lauren Spieler and Teresita Menini and Alejandro Gugliucci

Due to the increasing importance of nitrosative stress in pathology and the efficacy displayed by flavonoids in canceling the effects of peroxynitrite, we decided to conduct a comparative study of three commonly used beverages with the highest polyphenol contents and proven antioxidant properties: mate (Ilex paraguariensis); green tea (Camelia sinensis) extracts and white and red wines of the main varietals. We directly evaluated and compared the extracts and wines as protein nitration inhibitors using 3-nitrotyrosine as a biomarker, we studied the extracts as protectors from OONO-induced cytotoxicity in two mammalian cell lines. Both green tea and mate extracts have a high polyphenol content, in the case of Ip, its higher concentration and higher free radical quenching activity on the DPPH assay may be mainly due to the sui generis extraction procedure. When BSA was incubated in the presence of SIN-1, a time and dose dependent nitration of the protein is clearly shown. Co-incubation of BSA with Ip, green tea or red wines led to a dose dependent inhibition of the effect. Ip displayed the highest inhibitory activity, followed by red wines and the green tea. Dilutions as low as 1/1500 produced more than 80% inhibition of albumin nitration. When we studied peroxynitrite-induced cytotoxicity in murine RAW 264.7 macrophages and 31EG4 mammary cells., we found a potent, dose-dependent protective effect that was Ilex paraguariensis > red wines > green tea. Taken together, our results indicate that when the herbal preparations studied here are prepared the way they are usually drunk, Ip displays the highest inhibition of protein nitration, and the highest promotion of cell survival, whereas green tea or red wines display significant but lesser effects at the same concentrations. Further studies aiming at isolation of the active principles and assessment of their bioavailability are warranted.

 

 

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Author: Matthew R. Bonner and Nathaniel Rothman and Judy L. Mumford and Xingzhou He and Min Shen and Robert Welch and Meredith Yeager and Stephen Chanock and Neil Caporaso and Qing Lan

Experimental evidence suggests that green tea (Camellia sinesis) may reduce the risk of lung cancer through several hypothesized mechanisms including scavenging oxidative radicals, inhibition of tumor initiation, and modulation of detoxification enzymes. However, epidemiologic results have not been consistent as to the relationship between green tea consumption and lung caner prevention. We employed a population-based case-control study of 122 cases and 122 controls to investigate the effect that green tea consumption may have on the risk of lung cancer and whether polymorphisms in 8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase (OGG1), glutathione-S-transferase M1 (GSTM1), and aldo-keto reductase 1C3 (AKR1C3) modify such an association. Daily green tea consumption was associated with a non-significant reduction in lung cancer risk. However, the effect of smoky coal exposure was higher for non-drinkers (odds ratio (OR) = 4.93; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.27–19.13) than for drinkers (OR = 1.88; 95% CI = 1.01–3.48). Further, among individuals with the OGG1Cys326 allele, daily consumption was associated with a 72% reduction (95% CI = 0.09–0.94). Among GSTM1 null homozygotes, those who consumed green tea daily had a non-significant reduction in risk compared with non-consumers. Green tea consumption had no effect among OGG1 Ser326 homozygotes or GSTM1 carriers. In addition, AKR1C3 genotype did not modulate the effect of green tea consumption. The chemopreventive effects of green tea in this population may be restricted to individuals who are particularly susceptible to oxidative stress and oxidative DNA damage.

 

 

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Author: Elżbieta Skrzydlewska and Agnieszka Augustyniak and Kamil Michalak and Ryszard Farbiszewski

Oxidative stress induced by chronic ethanol consumption, particularly in aging subjects, has been implicated in the pathophysiology of many neurodegenerative diseases. Antioxidants with polyphenol structures, such as those contained in green tea, given alone for 5 weeks in liquid Lieber de Carli diet followed by administration with ethanol for 4 weeks with ethanol have been investigated as potential therapeutic antioxidant agents in the brain in rats of three ages (2, 12, and 24 months). Ethanol consumption caused age-dependent decreases in brain superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and catalase activities. In addition, ethanol consumption caused age-dependent decreases in the levels of GSH, selenium, vitamins, E, A and C, and β-carotene and increases in the levels of oxidized glutathione (GSSG). Changes in the brain's antioxidative ability were accompanied by enhanced oxidative modification of lipids (increases in lipid hydroperoxides, malondialdehyde, and 4-hydroxynonenal levels) and proteins (increases in carbonyl groups and bistyrosine). Reduced risk of oxidative stress and protection of the central nervous system, particularly in young and adult rats, after green tea supplementation were observed. Green tea partially prevented changes in antioxidant enzymatic as well as nonenzymatic parameters induced by ethanol and enhanced by aging. Administration of green tea significantly protects lipids and proteins against oxidative modifications in the brain tissue of young and adult rats. The beneficial effect of green tea can result from the inhibition of free radical chain reactions generated during ethanol-induced oxidative stress and/or from green tea-induced increases in antioxidative abilities made possible by increases in the activity/concentration of endogenous antioxidants.

 

 

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Author: Agnieszka Augustyniak and Ewa Waszkiewicz and Elżbieta Skrzydlewska

Objective The present study investigated the influence of green tea as a source of water-soluble antioxidants on the liver antioxidant potential of different aged rats chronically intoxicated with ethanol. Methods Rats (2, 12, and 24 mo old) were fed for 5 wk on a control or an ethanol Lieber-DeCarli diet with and without green tea (7 g/L). The activity and level of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants and the level of markers of protein and lipid oxidation in the liver of rats were examined. Results The activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase and levels of vitamins C, E, A, and β-carotene were significantly decreased, whereas activities of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase and the level of reduced glutathione significantly increased during aging. The ethanol diet caused a significant decrease in activity of antioxidant enzymes and in the level of non-enzymatic antioxidants tested. Administration of green tea to ethanol-treated rats of different ages partly normalized the activity of enzymes and the level of non-enzymatic antioxidants. Changes in antioxidant ability observed during aging were accompanied by increased levels of markers of lipid and protein modifications that also were intensified by ethanol. Green tea caused a decrease in lipid and protein oxidation in aged and ethanol-treated rats. The protective effect of green tea was confirmed by the significantly lower activity of biomarkers of liver damage (alanine and aspartate aminotransferases) in the serum of rats that received green tea with ethanol compared with rats from the control ethanol group. Conclusions The use of green tea appears to be beneficial to rat liver by decreasing oxidative stress caused by ethanol and/or aging.

 

 

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Author: Daniela Erba and Patrizia Riso and Alessandra Bordoni and Paola Foti and Pier Luigi Biagi and Giulio Testolin

The antioxidant activity of green tea (GT) has been extensively studied; however, the results obtained from dietary intervention studies are controversial. In the present study we investigated the effect of the addition of two cups of GT (containing approximately 250 mg of total catechins) to a controlled diet in a group of healthy volunteers with respect to a group following the same controlled diet but not consuming GT. Antioxidant status and lipid profile in plasma, the resistance from oxidative damage to lipid and DNA, and the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in isolated lymphocytes were measured at the beginning and the end of the trial. After 42 days, consumption of GT caused a significant increase in plasma total antioxidant activity [from 1.79 to 1.98 μmol Trolox equivalent (TE)/ml, P<.001], significant decreases in plasma peroxides level (from 412 to 288 Carr U, P<.05) and induced DNA oxidative damage in lymphocytes (from 14.2% to 10.1% of DNA in tail, P<.05), a moderate although significant decrease in LDL cholesterol (from 119.9 to 106.6 mg/dL, P<.05) with respect to control. The present study suggests the ability of GT, consumed within a balanced controlled diet, to improve overall the antioxidative status and to protect against oxidative damage in humans.

 

 

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Author: David Labbé and Monica Araya-Farias and Angelo Tremblay and Laurent Bazinet

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is regarded as the most important of the tea catechins. Therefore, methods for producing tea extracts with high EGCG content have been developed. However, these methods have the disadvantages to use solvent or to allow the purification of small volumes. The aim of this exploratory study was to evaluate the feasibility of selectively extracting catechins and caffeine from a green tea solution using an electrodialysis cell. Commercially available membranes (AMX-SB, AFN, PC-400 D and UF-1000 Da) were tested for their potential to allow migration of green tea catechins. This study demonstrated that epigallocatechin (EGC) and EGCG from a green tea infusion can migrate at a high rate through an electrodialysis (ED) system. Among tested membranes, the UF-1000 Da membrane can achieve an EGC and EGCG migration as high as 50%. The other studied catechins and caffeine had no significant migration rate through either the anionics or the UF membranes. Thus, this method combined to a previously developed EGCG preconcentration procedure might allow the production of a green tea extract with highly active biological compound.

 

 

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