Abstract
Tea is the most widely used beverage worldwide. Japanese and Chinese people have been drinking tea for centuries and in Asia, it is the most consumed beverage besides water. It is a rich source of pharmacologically active molecules which have been implicated to provide diverse health benefits. The three major forms of tea are green, black and oolong tea based on the degree of fermentation. The composition of tea differs with the species, season, leaves, climate, and horticultural practices. Polyphenols are the major active compounds present in teas. The catechins are the major polyphenolic compounds in green tea, which include epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin, epicatechin-3-gallate and epicatechin, gallocatechins and gallocatechin gallate. EGCG is the predominant and most studied catechin in green tea. There are numerous evidences from cell culture and animal studies that tea polyphenols have beneficial effects against several pathological diseases including cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The polyphenolic compounds present in black tea include theaflavins and thearubigins. In this review article, we will summarize recent studies documenting the role of tea polyphenols in the prevention of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and neurological diseases.
Highlights
The beverage tea is made from the infusion of the leaves of Camellia sinensis
It was noted that Akt, NF-κB, MAP kinases and cell cycle pathways were modulated after treatment with EGCG, demonstrating that the miRNA-mediated regulation was involved in the anti-cancer activity of EGCG in-vivo [18]
Cleavage, increase in the protein expression of Bax with decrease in Bcl-2, activation of caspases and decrease in Ki-67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), CD-31 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in tumor tissues of mice treated with Chit-nanoEGCG, as compared with groups treated with EGCG and control group [41]
Summary
The beverage tea is made from the infusion of the leaves of Camellia sinensis. The world’s tea consumption is highest for black tea, followed by green tea, oolong tea, and white tea. Tea possesses antioxidant properties with traces of proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids, lipids, vitamins and minerals. It contains an extensive range of chemical compounds, but mainly polyphenols account for the aroma and beneficial health effects of tea. The polyphenols in green tea are credited with its beneficial properties against several diseases in many reported studies [1]. These polyphenols are present in much higher concentrations in green tea than black or oolong tea and this accounts for their antioxidant properties. The distinctive polyphenolic compounds present in green tea are called as catechins, like (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC),.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
