15 Health Benefits Green Tea's Major Bioactive Polyphenols Catechin That You May Not Realize, According to Medical Publication Online

Green tea contains more amount of antioxidants than any drinks or food with the same volume, and is the leaves of Camellia sinensis, undergone minimal oxidation during processing, originated from China. Green tea has been a precious drink in traditional Chinese culture and used exceptional in socialization for more than 4000 thousand years. Because of their health benefits, they have been cultivated for commercial purposes all over the world.


Catechin is phytochemical of Flavan-3-ols, in the group of Flavonoids (polyphenols), found abundantly in white tea, green tea, black tea, grapes, wine, apple juice, cocoa, lentils,......
1. Body-weight regulation
Green tea has been proposed as a tool for obesity management as strategies for weight loss and weight maintenance.

In the investigated green tea dody-weight regulation effect, researchers found that a green tea-caffeine mixture improves weight maintenance, through thermogenesis, fat oxidation, and sparing fat free mass. 

Furthermore, the study also suggested, the sympathetic nervous system is involved in the regulation of lipolysis in breakingdown of lipids and involves hydrolysis of triglycerides into glycerol and free fatty acid.

Moreover,  green tea modulated effect of the sympathetic innervation of white adipose tissue may play an important role in the regulation of total body fat in general.(1)

2. Cholesterol
In a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials thst evaluates the relationship between GTCs and serum lipid levels, including total, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides, scientists found that the consumption of GTCs is associated with a statistically significant reduction in total and LDL cholesterol levels; however, 

However, after taking into account of co and con founders, there was no significant effect on HDL cholesterol or triglyceride levels.(2)

3. Anti liver cancers
In the examination ofthe effect of catechins on the antitumor efficacy of doxorubicin (DOX) in a murine model, researchers found that tea catechins at non-toxic doses can augment DOX-induced cell killing and sensitize chemoresistant HCC cells to DOX. 

The chemosensitizing effect of catechins may occur directly or indirectly by reversal of multidrug resistance, involving the suppression of multi-drug resistance dene (MDR1) expression, or by enhancement of intracellular DOX accumulation, involving inhibition of P-gp function(3).

P-gp, a drug is responsible for decreased drug accumulation in multidrug-resistant cells, particularly in anticancer drugs.

4. Antioxidant activity
The review on polyphenolic compounds (included catechins) in the berries of edible honeysuckle and their biological effects on medical literature found that berries seem to be prospective sources of health-supporting phytochemicals that exhibit beneficial anti-adherence and chemo-protective activities, thus they may provide protection against a number of chronic conditions, e.g., cancer, diabetes mellitus, tumour growth or cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases(4)

5. Severe dyslipidemia
In the observation of three-month old ATX mice treated, or not, for 3 months with the polyphenol (+)-catechin (CAT, 30 mg/kg/day) and compared to wild-type (WT) controls, scientists found that mice treated with catechin expresses an active remodeling of the cerebrovascular wall.

These results suggested that catechin at dose of 30 mg/kg/day significant reduced plague accumulated through normalizing the levels of pro-metalloproteinase-9 activity(5).

High levels of pro-metalloproteinase-9 are correlated to high levels of blood cholesterol

Green tea catechin processed a strong effect in preservation of the endothelial function. Long term use of the phytochemical exerted a preventive activity that only deletes the severe dyslipidemia on cerebral artery wall structure and bio mechanical properties but also contributes to preserving resting cerebral blood flow(5).

6. Anti-inflammatory effect
In the preparation of the gel of Chinese medicine catechu, and to observe the release mechanism in vitro and anti-inflammatory activity in rats, researchers found that the optimum condition of extraction in exerting anti inflammatory effect are totally depended to doses at the concentration of ethanol, ratio of raw material to solvent, ultrasonic time, and extraction temperature were 50% , 1: 12, 35 min and 60 degrees C, respectively. 

The formulation of catechu gel of carbomer-9 400.5 g, glycerol 5.0 g, the extracts of catechu 50.0 mL, and triethanomine 0.5 mL not only was found to be semitransparent and stable, but also can released quickly. 

The catechu gel reduced the paw edema considerably in dose-dependent manner in compared to non treated carrageenan-induced rat(6).

7. Neuropathic pain
In the investigation of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major catechin in green tea and its effect on intrathecal EGCG in neuropathic pain induced by spinal nerve ligation, scientists found that 

Additionalli, intrathecal EGCG also blocked the increase in nNOS expression in the spinal cord of spinal nerve-ligated rats, but iNOS expression was not significantly suppressed. 

Nitric oxide synthases (nNOS ) are enzymes that are responsible in production of nitric oxide from L-arginine.d 

However the antinociceptive effect was reversed if tested subjected was intrathecal pretreated with l-arginine, a precursor of NO.

These findings suggest that intrathecal EGCG could produce an antiallodynic effect against spinal nerve ligation-induced neuropathic pain, mediated by blockade of nNOS protein expression and inhibition of the pronociceptive effects of NO.(7).

8. Cholesterol and glucose levels
The examination of the effect of the main green tea catechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), taken in a green tea extract, Polyphenon E (PPE) and their effect on circulating hormone levels, an established breast cancer risk factor, found that glucose and insulin levels decreased non significantly in the PPE groups but increased in the placebo group.

Furthermore, Polyphenon E (PPE)  caused statistically significant differences in changes in glucose  and insulin.

In compared to doses of green tea intake of (400 and 800 mg EGCG as PPE; ~5-10 cups) that equivalences to supplmentation , researchers suggested  supplementation for 2 months had suggestively beneficial effects on LDL cholesterol concentrations and glucose-related markers(8)

9. Neuroprotective effects
The evaluation the neuroprotective effects of theanine and catechins contained in green tea, found that the mechanism of the neuroprotective effect of theanine is related not only to the glutamate receptor but also to other mechanisms such as the glutamate transporter.

One of the onset mechanisms for arteriosclerosis, a major factor in ischemic cerebrovascular disease, is probably the oxidative alteration of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by active oxygen species. 

The oxidative alterations of LDL was shown to be prevented by tea catechins. 

Scavenging of *O(2)(-) was also exhibited by tea catechins.(9).

10. Anti-obesity effects
In the elucidation of the anti-obesity effects of three major components of green tea, catechins, caffeine and theanine, female ICR mice, researchers found that the body weight increase and weight of IPAT were significantly reduced by the diets containing green tea, caffeine, theanine, caffeine + catechins, caffeine + theanine and caffeine + catechins + theanine. 

Noticeably, the IPAT weight decreased by 76.8% in the caffeine + catechins compared to the control group. 

Serum concentrations of triglycerides (TG) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were decreased by green tea, catechins and theanine. Moreover, caffeine + catechins, caffeine + theanine and caffeine + catechins + theanine also decreased NEFA in the serum. 

The TG level in the liver was significantly reduced by catechins and catechins + theanine in comparison with the control(10).

11. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
The investigation of green tea's effect on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a constellation of progressive liver disorders, suggested, green tea is rich in polyphenolic catechins that have hypolipidemic, thermogenic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities that may mitigate the occurrence and progression of NAFLD. 

Application of green tea that demonstrates the hepatoprotective properties may be considered as functional food and targeted dietary agents to  protect the liver against onset of NAFLD(11).

12. Age-related Neurodegeneration
The identification of green tea (GT) and the effect of large amounts of brain-accessible polyphenols, found, the beneficial action of catechinsin learning and memory with a particular focus on the hippocampal formation. 

 GT polyphenols which exert significant neuro protective effect may have a promising role in the reversal of age-related loss of neuronal plasticity and recovery after neuronal lesions associated with aging12)

13. Anti-influenza virus activity
In the study of Polyphenolic compounds present in green tea, particularly catechins, and its effect on strong anti-influenza activity, researchers showed that therapeutic administration of green tea by-products via feed or water supplement resulted in a dose-dependent expressed a significant antiviral effect in chickens, with a dose of 10 g/kg of feed being the most effective(13).

14. Prostate Cancer
Epidemiological studies suggest that tea consumption has protective effects against a variety of human cancers, including that of the prostate.

 Laboratory and clinical studies have demonstrated that green tea components, specifically the green tea catechin (GTC) epigallocatechin gallate, can induce apoptosis, suppress progression, and inhibit invasion and metastasis of prostate cancer..(14)

15. Breast cancer
In the developing a chronically induced breast cell carcinogenesis model to the exposure of non-cancerous, human breast epithelial MCF10A cells to bioachievable picomolar concentrations of environmental carcinogens, such as 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), to progressively induce cellular acquisition of cancer-associated properties, as measurable end points, found that green tea catechins (GTCs) , at non-cytotoxic levels, were able to suppress chronically induced cellular carcinogenesis by blocking carcinogen-induced ROS elevation, ERK activation, cell proliferation and DNA damage in each exposure cycle. 

The findings may help accelerate the identification of preventive agents to intervene in carcinogenesis induced by long-term exposure to environmental carcinogens, thereby safely and effectively reducing the health risk of sporadic breast cancer(15).

Natural Medicine for Fatty Liver And Obesity Reversal - The Revolutionary Findings To Achieve Optimal Health And Loose Weight

Ovarian Cysts And PCOS Elimination
Holistic System In Existence That Will Show You How To
Permanently Eliminate All Types of Ovarian Cysts Within 2 Months

Back to Kyle J. Norton Home page http://kylejnorton.blogspot.ca

Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published on line, including world wide health, ezine articles, article base, healthblogs, selfgrowth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bio science, ISSN 0975-6299.
Sources
(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20156466
(2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22027055
(3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20514403
(4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22269864
(5) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22268108
(6) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22256752
(7) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22249118
(8) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22246619
(9) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12499631
(10) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15011752
(11) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22221215
(12) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22211685
(13) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22184430
(14) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22098273
(15) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2204502