Green Tea, Camellia sinensis, Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG)
Green tea is different from black tea, that green tea is not fermented. The active ingredients remain unaltered in the tea. Traditionally, green tea was used for digestion, depression, immune enhancement, detoxification, and to prolong life. Green tea has been used in conditions like: atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, weight loss, high triglycerides, hives immune function and infection. Green tea is also believed to reduce the risks for certain cancers
Green tea contains, minerals, vitamins, oils, caffeine and polyphenols (particularly the epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)). Probably, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is green teaÂ’s key active ingredient. [1]
GREEN TEA BENEFITS, RESEARCH FINDS
HEALTHY CHOLESTEROL PROFILE
Most studies have shown that green tea can lower the total cholesterol levels and improve the cholesterol profile [2-6] A study also demonstrated that green tea protected against damage to LDL (“bad”) cholesterol caused by oxygen. [7-9]
In a recent study, mice were treated with high cholesterol food with or without catechins for 35 weeks. Elevated inflammatory factors, high plasma cholesterol levels, severe atherosclerosis, liver and renal dysfunctions were found in the no catechin fed mice (i.e. the control mice), while much milder conditions were observed in the catechin fed mice. [23]
ANTI-CANCER ARTIVITIES
In the gastrointestinal tract, green tea was found to activate intracellular antioxidants, inhibit procarcinogen formation, and suppress angiogenesis and cancer cell proliferation. [20] Studies on the preventive effect of green tea in esophageal cancer have produced inconsistent results; however.several epidemiological, invitro and animal studies have shown that green tea has a protective effect against lung cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer. This preventive potential of green tea against cancer is related to its active flavonoids - catechins. Epigallocatechin 3-o-gallate, the major catechin in green tea, mediates diverse physiological and pharmacological actions in bringing about the regression of the tumors and also lowers the risk of nonmalignant cardiovascular proliferative diseases. These catechins exert diverse physiological effects against cancers via several mechanisms, [10-16, 18]
NEUROPROTECTION
Reactive oxygen species (superoxide, hydroxyl radical and nitric oxide) generation and inflammation play important roles in the age- associated cognitive decline and neuronal loss in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases. And, accumulation of iron at sites where the neurons die is one of the characteristics of these diseases. Thus, researchers think that the accumulation of iron and reactive oxygen species may lead to neuronal toxicity and the related diseases. Tea flavonoids (catechins) have been reported to possess potent iron-chelating, radical-scavenging and anti-inflammatory activities. Theoretically, it may help protect neuronal death and against the neurodegenerative diseases. [17]
An ingredient in green tea, called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) may help prevent Alzheimer's disease. In a study of mice, EGCG decreased the production beta-amyloid. [24]
WEIGHT LOSS
A recent study in Netherlands has shown that green tea reduced body weight, waist, respiratory quotient and body fat. The researchers explained that High caffeine intake was associated with weight loss through thermogenesis and fat oxidation and with suppressed leptin in women. In habitual low caffeine consumers, the green tea-caffeine mixture improved weight maintenance, partly through thermogenesis and fat oxidation. [22] However, more studies are needed to confirm this claim..
GREEN TEA SIDE EFFECTS
Because green tea contains caffeine, excessive consumption of green tea may lead to the side sides / symptoms caused by the caffeine content in the herb- insomnia and anxiety.
As mentioned before, green tea is iron-chelating , thus, green tea extract can inhibit the absorption of non-heme iron as much as 26%. [21]
HOME References 1. Graham HN. Green tea composition, consumption, and polyphenol chemistry. Prev Med 1992;21:334–50. 2. Kono S et al. Green tea consumption and serum lipid profiles: A cross-sectional study in Northern Kyushu, Japan. Prev Med 1992;21:526–31. 3. Yamaguchi Y et al. Preventive effects of green tea extract on lipid abnormalities in serum, liver and aorta of mice fed an atherogenic diet. Nip Yak Zas 1991;97:329–37. 4. Sagesaka-Mitane Y et al. Platelet aggregation inhibitors in hot water extract of green tea. Chem Pharm Bull 1990;38:790–3. 5. Stensvold I et al. Tea consumption. Relationship to cholesterol, blood pressure, and coronary and total mortality. Prev Med 1992;21:546–53. 6. Tsubono Y et al Green tea intake in relation to serum lipid levels in middle-aged Japanese men and women. Ann Epidemiol 1997;7:280–4. 7. Serafini M et al. In vivo antioxidant effect of green tea in man. Eur J Clin Nutr 1996;50: 28–32. 8. Benzie IF et al. Consumption of green tea causes rapid increase in plasma antioxidant power in humans. Nutr Cancer 1999;34:83–7. 9. Sasazuki S et al. Relation between green tea consumption and severity of coronary atherosclerosis among Japanese men and women. Ann Epidemiol 2000;10:401–8. 10. Suganuma M et al. Green tea and cancer chemoprevention. Mutat Res 1999;428:339– 44. 11. Weisberger JH et al. Tea, or tea and milk, inhibit mammary gland and colon carcinogenesis in rats. Cancer Lett 1997;114:323–7. 12. Yang CS et al. Polyphenols as inhibitors of carcinogenesis. Environ Health Perspect 1997;105(Suppl 4):971–6 [review]. 13. Menon LG et al. Anti-metastatic activity of curcumin and catechin. Cancer Lett 1999; 141:159–65. 14. Mukhtar H et al. Green tea in chemoprevention of cancer. Toxicol Sci 1999;52(2 Suppl): 111–7. 15. Katiyar SK et al. Tea consumption and cancer. World Rev Nutr Diet 1996;79:154–84 [review]. 16. Kohlmeier L et al. Tea and cancer prevention: an evaluation of the epidemiologic literature. Nutr Cancer 1997;27:1–13 [review]. 17. Mandel SA et al Multifunctional activities of green tea catechins in neuroprotection. Modulation of cell survival genes, iron-dependent oxidative stress and PKC signaling pathway. Neurosignals. 2005;14(1-2):46-60. 18. Doss MX et al, Trapping of growth factors by catechins: a possible therapeutical target for prevention of proliferative diseases. J Nutr Biochem. 2005 May;16(5):259-66. 19. Crespy V et al A review of the health effects of green tea catechins in in vivo animal models. J Nutr. 2004 Dec;134(12 Suppl):3431S-3440S. 20. Koo MW et al Pharmacological effects of green tea on the gastrointestinal system. Eur J Pharmacol. 2004 Oct 1;500(1-3):177-85. 21. Samman S et al. Green tea or rosemary extract added to foods reduces nonheme-iron absorption. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;73:607–12. 22. Westerterp-Plantenga MS et al Body weight loss and weight maintenance in relation to habitual caffeine intake and green tea supplementation. Obes Res. 2005 Jul;13(7):1195-204. 23. Suzuki J et al, Dietary consumption of green tea catechins attenuate hyperlipidaemia- induced atherosclerosis and systemic organ damage in mice. Acta Cardiol. 2005 Jun;60(3): 271-6. 24. Green Tea Compound Stops Alzheimer's in Mice HealthDay Online Publication, September 21, 2005
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Studies have shown that green tea catechins possess anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, anti-arteriosclerotic and anti-bacterial activities. [20]