![]() |
|
|
Center for Human Nutrition, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: shenning{at}mednet.ucla.edu.
Green tea and black tea (BT) contain gallated [(–)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), (–)-epicatechin-3-gallate] and nongallated [(–)-epicatechin, (–)-epigallocatechin (EGC)] tea polyphenols (PP). During BT production, PP undergo oxidation and form larger polymers such as theaflavins (THE) and thearubigins, which contribute to the health benefit of BT. This article gives an overview of the role of chemical characteristics and endogenous metabolism of tea PP and their bioavailability in humans and describes attempts to increase their bioavailability. At pH close to neutral, EGCG and EGC form homo- and heterodimers generating hydrogen peroxide. To confirm the pH instability of EGCG, EGC, and THE in cell culture medium, their antiproliferative activity was determined in the presence and absence of catalase. The antiproliferative activity in LNCaP prostate cancer cells was decreased when incubated with catalase prior to EGCG, EGC, and THE treatment. In addition, new findings demonstrated that the formation of methyl-EGC increased the stability at neutral pH compared with EGC. Approaches to increase the bioavailability of flavan-3-ols are reviewed, which include the administration of tea in combination with fruit juices, coadministration with piperine, and peracetylation of EGCG. Future intervention studies will need to focus on the bioactivity not only of green tea and BT PP but also of their metabolites and biotransformation products.
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
L. Arab and J. B. Blumberg Proceedings of the Fourth International Scientific Symposium on Tea and Human Health. September 18, 2007. Washington, DC, USA. J. Nutr., August 1, 2008; 138(8): 1526S - 1588S. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. Auger, W. Mullen, Y. Hara, and A. Crozier Bioavailability of Polyphenon E Flavan-3-ols in Humans with an Ileostomy J. Nutr., August 1, 2008; 138(8): 1535S - 1542S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. O. Song and O. K. Chun Tea Is the Major Source of Flavan-3-ol and Flavonol in the U.S. Diet J. Nutr., August 1, 2008; 138(8): 1543S - 1547S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Kuriyama The Relation between Green Tea Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease as Evidenced by Epidemiological Studies J. Nutr., August 1, 2008; 138(8): 1548S - 1553S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. Grassi, A. Aggio, L. Onori, G. Croce, S. Tiberti, C. Ferri, L. Ferri, and G. Desideri Tea, Flavonoids, and Nitric Oxide-Mediated Vascular Reactivity J. Nutr., August 1, 2008; 138(8): 1554S - 1560S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
I. C. W. Arts A Review of the Epidemiological Evidence on Tea, Flavonoids, and Lung Cancer J. Nutr., August 1, 2008; 138(8): 1561S - 1566S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
I. A. Hakim, H.-H. S. Chow, and R. B. Harris Green Tea Consumption Is Associated with Decreased DNA Damage among GSTM1-Positive Smokers Regardless of Their hOGG1 Genotype J. Nutr., August 1, 2008; 138(8): 1567S - 1571S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. P. Kelly, M. Gomez-Ramirez, J. L. Montesi, and J. J. Foxe L-Theanine and Caffeine in Combination Affect Human Cognition as Evidenced by Oscillatory alpha-Band Activity and Attention Task Performance J. Nutr., August 1, 2008; 138(8): 1572S - 1577S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. A. Mandel, T. Amit, L. Kalfon, L. Reznichenko, and M. B. H. Youdim Targeting Multiple Neurodegenerative Diseases Etiologies with Multimodal-Acting Green Tea Catechins J. Nutr., August 1, 2008; 138(8): 1578S - 1583S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. S. Stote and D. J. Baer Tea Consumption May Improve Biomarkers of Insulin Sensitivity and Risk Factors for Diabetes J. Nutr., August 1, 2008; 138(8): 1584S - 1588S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||