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== History of tea extracts ==
== History of tea extracts ==
Green tea extracts have been used in traditional [[traditional Chinese medicine|Chinese]] and Indian medicine for a variety of uses.<ref>{{cite web|title=Green tea|url=http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/green-tea|website=Complementary and Alternative Medicine Guide|publisher=University of Maryland Medical Center|accessdate=3 May 2015}}</ref>


== Forms ==

Green tea leaves are initially processed by soaking in an alcohol solution, which may be further concentrated to various levels; byproducts of the process are also packaged and used. Extracts may be sold in liquid, powder, capsule, or tablet form.<ref name=Johnson/> Decaffeinated versions are also available.<ref>{{cite web|title=Update on the USP Green Tea Extract Monograph|url=http://www.usp.org/usp-nf/notices/retired-compendial-notices/update-usp-green-tea-extract-monograph|publisher=USP|language=en|date=April 10, 2009}}</ref>

Green tea extract supplements are accessible over the counter in various forms. Standardized green tea extract is 90 percent total polyphenols, and 1 capsule equals 5 cups of tea.<ref>A.H. Pressman & S. Buff, The complete idiot's guide to vitamins and minerals, New York: New York Alpha Books, 1997, p. 283.</ref><ref>A. Bascom, Incorporating herbal medicine into clinical practice, Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company, 2002, p. 153.</ref>


== Chemistry and biochemistry ==
== Chemistry and biochemistry ==
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=== Biochemical properties ===
=== Biochemical properties ===


The biochemical properties of green tea extracts can be generally divided into four aspects – [[antioxidant]], [[anticarcinogen]], [[anti-inflammatory]], and anti-radiation.<ref name=Johnson>I.T. Johnson & G. Williamson, Phytochemical functional foods, Cambridge, UK: Woodhead Publishing, 2003, pp. 135-145</ref><ref name=Zhen>Y.S. Zhen, Z.M. Chen, S.J. Cheng & M.L. Chen, Tea: bioactivity and therapeutic potential, London, UK: New York Taylor & Francis, 2002, pp. 121–225.</ref>
The biochemical properties of green tea extracts can be generally divided into four aspects – [[antioxidant]], [[anticarcinogen]], [[anti-inflammatory]], and anti-radiation.<ref name=Zhen>Y.S. Zhen, Z.M. Chen, S.J. Cheng & M.L. Chen, Tea: bioactivity and therapeutic potential, London, UK: New York Taylor & Francis, 2002, pp. 121–225.</ref>


Scavenging effect of lipid free-radicals (one antioxidant property) of [[phenolic content in tea|polyphenols]] in green tea extracts can be observed in experiments.<ref name=Zhen/> The ability of GTP in green tea extracts to eliminate lipid-derived free radicals is noticeably stronger (almost 50 times) than that of ginkgo biloba extracts.<ref name=Zhen/> Further investigations indicate that the boosting level of [[superoxide dismutase]] (SOD) and glutathione dismutase (GSHPx) may account for the inhibitory effect of GTC against lipid oxidation ([[rancidification]]).<ref name=Zhu/> Generally speaking, green tea extracts are more effective as antioxidants than black tea extracts are due to the better preservation of catechins contained in green tea extracts.<ref name=Zhen/>
Scavenging effect of lipid free-radicals (one antioxidant property) of [[phenolic content in tea|polyphenols]] in green tea extracts can be observed in experiments.<ref name=Zhen/> The ability of GTP in green tea extracts to eliminate lipid-derived free radicals is noticeably stronger (almost 50 times) than that of ginkgo biloba extracts.<ref name=Zhen/> Further investigations indicate that the boosting level of [[superoxide dismutase]] (SOD) and glutathione dismutase (GSHPx) may account for the inhibitory effect of GTC against lipid oxidation ([[rancidification]]).<ref name=Zhu/> Generally speaking, green tea extracts are more effective as antioxidants than black tea extracts are due to the better preservation of catechins contained in green tea extracts.<ref name=Zhen/>

Revision as of 17:54, 11 February 2017

A green tea extract is a herbal derivative from green tea leaves (Camellia sinensis). Containing antioxidant ingredients – mainly green tea catechins (GTC) – green tea and its derivatives are sometimes used as dietary supplements and in alternative medicine.

History of tea extracts

Chemistry and biochemistry

Constituents

The cardinal antioxidative ingredient in the green tea extract is green tea catechins (GTC), which comprise four major epicatechin derivatives; namely, epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Of which, EGCG accounts for more than 40% of the total content.

Other components include three kinds of flavonoids, known as kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin.[1] A remarkably higher content of myricetin is detected in tea and its extracts than in many other plants, and this high concentration of myricetin may have some implications with the bioactivity of tea and its extracts.[2]

Chemical properties

Green tea extract is approximately two times more antioxidant-active than Vitamin C. The main attribution is supposed to be EGCG.[3] One study by the Drug and Food department of Iran in 2008 compared antioxidant properties of various green tea compounds with those of vitamin C and vitamin E: the study concluded that green tea extracts -for a total of approximately 68 mg of combined phenols, flavonoids and anthocyanidin present from 1g of a sample of "Chinas green tea" leaves, the grade yielding the highest content of bioactive chemicals- had the equivalent antioxidant power found in 50 mg-275 mg of vitamin C and 156 mg-813 mg of vitamin E [4]

In alkaline solutions (pH > 8) GTC (green tea catechins) is rather unstable; in acidic solutions (pH < 4), however, GTC shows excellent stability. The stability in alkaline solutions varies between four components of GTC in green tea extracts. Recent study demonstrates that EGCG and EGC is more unstable than EC and ECG in a basic solution, giving an explanation to the fact that EGCG and EGC do not circulate in the basic sodium phosphate buffer fluid of human body.[5]

In a high temperature environment, GTC is not stable: an epimerization change is likely to occur, because heating results in the conversion from EGCG to GCG.[5] Thus it is considered inappropriate to infuse green tea or its extracts with overheated water.

Biochemical properties

The biochemical properties of green tea extracts can be generally divided into four aspects – antioxidant, anticarcinogen, anti-inflammatory, and anti-radiation.[6]

Scavenging effect of lipid free-radicals (one antioxidant property) of polyphenols in green tea extracts can be observed in experiments.[6] The ability of GTP in green tea extracts to eliminate lipid-derived free radicals is noticeably stronger (almost 50 times) than that of ginkgo biloba extracts.[6] Further investigations indicate that the boosting level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione dismutase (GSHPx) may account for the inhibitory effect of GTC against lipid oxidation (rancidification).[5] Generally speaking, green tea extracts are more effective as antioxidants than black tea extracts are due to the better preservation of catechins contained in green tea extracts.[6]

Moreover, the anticarcinogenic properties of green tea extracts have been a focus of recent scientific research. In many experiments, green tea extracts show inhibitory effects on cancer cells. Invitro assays have shown that catechin and caffeine, which are main components in green tea extracts, block the cell cycle of cancer cells (cytotoxicity) and induce programmed cell death;[2] in vivo, green tea extracts also inhibit prostatic carcinoma transplanted in nude mice.[6]

In addition, green tea extracts also contain a wide range of anti-inflammatory characteristics, so green tea extract may be helpful in treating chronic inflammatory states.[2] The bactericidal activity against S.mutans is conspicuous in Japanese green tea extracts,[6] and the maltose level in mouth is consistently lower after drinking tea.[2] Therefore, green tea extracts may be effective in oral hygiene maintenance.

Dosage and side-effects

EGCG has a poor bioavailability when taken orally; the absolute bioavailability of EGCG in CF-1 mice and Sprague-Dawley rats was found to be only 26.5 and 1.6%, respectively. The bioavailability for humans is assumed to be in the same range.[7][8]

Though green tea extracts show potential anticancer capacity - under some conditions by working together with other drugs and suppressing multidrug resistance in cancer cells - they are not suggested for use alone as a chemotherapy agent for cancer treatment.[6]

Excessive intake of green tea extracts containing caffeine has side effects;[9] an excessive concentration may act as a pro-oxidant to damage DNA[2] and produce undesirable side effects.[10]

Use of green tea extracts has been linked to occasional cases of acute liver failure.[11][12]

References

  1. ^ Committee on Diet, Nutrition, and Cancer, Assembly of Life Sciences, National Research Council, Diet, nutrition, and cancer, Washington: D.C National Academies Press, 1982, p. 286.
  2. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference Johnson was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Comparison between vitamin C, green tea extracts and olive leaf extracts : Dr Stevenson, L,. et al. Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) Report on Olive Leaf Australia's Olive Leaf Extracts, Southern Cross University, 2005.
  4. ^ "Determination Of Total Antioxidant Capacity Of Green Teas By The Ferric Reducing-Antioxidant Power Assay" by M. Hajimahmoodi,M. Hanifeh,M. R. Oveisi,N. Sadeghi,B. Jannat, (Drug and Food Control Department, Faculty of Pharmacy &Medical Sciences,University of Tehran, and Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran Iran), published in "Iran. J. Environ. Health. Sci. Eng., 2008, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 167-172" , website: http://journals.tums.ac.ir/upload_files/pdf/_/8255.pdf "
  5. ^ a b c Q.Y. Zhu, Antioxidative activities of green tea catechins, Hong Kong: The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong), 1999, p. III.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Y.S. Zhen, Z.M. Chen, S.J. Cheng & M.L. Chen, Tea: bioactivity and therapeutic potential, London, UK: New York Taylor & Francis, 2002, pp. 121–225.
  7. ^ Lambert, J. D., Lee, M. J., Lu, H., Meng, X., Ju, J., Hong, J., Seril, D. N., Sturgill, M. G. & Yang, C. S. (2003) Epigallocatechin-3-gallate is absorbed but extensively glucuronidated following oral administration to mice. J. Nutr. 133:4172-4127. [1]
  8. ^ Chen, L., Lee, M. J., Li, H. & Yang, C. S. (1997) Absorption, distribution, elimination of tea polyphenols in rats. Drug Metab. Dispos. 25:1045-1050. [2]
  9. ^ B. Capon, Botany for gardeners: An introduction guide, Portland: Or. Timber Press, Inc., 1990, p. 94.
  10. ^ Wu, K. -M.; Yao, J.; Boring, D. (2010). "Green Tea Extract-Induced Lethal Toxicity in Fasted but Not in Nonfasted Dogs". International Journal of Toxicology. 30 (1): 19–20. doi:10.1177/1091581810387445. PMID 21098339.
  11. ^ Molinari, Watt, Kruszyna, Nelson, Walsh, Huang, Nashan and Peltekian, Acture Liver Failure Induced by Green Tea Extracts: Case Report and Review of the Literature, Liver Transplantation, Vol. 12, Issue 12, 2006, p.1892-1895. DOI 10.1002/lt
  12. ^ "Man given two weeks to live after taking popular weight-loss product purchased online". ABC News, abc.net.au. 14 February 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2016.