• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.327-331
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• 2002

Tea is a pleasant, popular and safe beverage in the world. During the past decade, epidemiological studies have shown that tea catechins intake is associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Tea provides a dietary source of health-promoting components to help humans reduce a wide variety of cancer risks and chronic diseases. The antioxidative activity of tea-derived catchins has been extensively studied. The antioxidant effect is a synergistic action between catechins e.g. EGCG, EGC, ECG, EC, pheophytins a and b, and other components in tea leaves, which aye more bioavailable for human body. Green tea has a Higher content of catechins than other kinds of tea. Green tea extract with hot water has high potential and more efficiency to reduce cancer risk than any other tea products or pure EGCG. Protein, iyon, and other food components may interfere with the bioavailability of ten catechins. Interaction of catechins with drug affects the cancer-preventive activity of some cancer-fighting medication. Further studies are required to determine the bioavailability of tea catechins and cancer-preventive functionality.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.932-938
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• 2009

Browning of tea infusion is an obstructive factor influencing shelf life of ready-to-drink green tea. Effects of temperature and illumination on the browning of green tea infusion were investigated. It was shown that both elevated temperature and illumination led to the browning of green tea infusion, but temperature had greater effect on infusion color and level of catechins than illumination. The levels of unoxidized catechins such as (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECg), (-)-epicatechin (EC), and total catechins remaining in the tea infusion were significantly correlated to color parameters of the tea infusion. Sodium ascorbate inhibited the infusion browning by suppressing the oxidation of tea catechins and it is considered to be a more suitable preservative for prolonging shelf life of ready-to-drink green tea than ascorbic acid because it has less effect on tea taste. The effects of temperature and illumination on the epimerization of catechins were also discussed.

• Integrative Medicine Research
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.4-10
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• 2014

Green tea and coffee consumption have been widely popular worldwide. These beverages contain caffeine to activate the central nervous system by adenosine receptor blockade, and due to the caffeine, addiction or tolerance may occur. In addition to this caffeine effect, green tea and coffee consumption have always been at the center of discussions about human health, disease, and longevity. In particular, green tea catechins are involved in many biological activities such as antioxidation and modulation of various cellular lipid and proteins. Thus, they are beneficial against degenerative diseases, including obesity, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and various inflammatory diseases. Some reports also suggest that daily consumption of tea catechins may help in controlling type 2 diabetes. However, other studies have reported that chronic consumption of green tea may result in hepatic failure, neuronal damage, and exacerbation of diabetes, suggesting that interindividual variations in the green tea effect are large. This review will focus on the effect of green tea catechins extracted from the Camellia sinensis plant on type 2 diabetes and obesity, and the possible mechanistic explanation for the experimental results mainly from our laboratory. It is hoped that green tea can be consumed in a suitable manner as a supplement to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes and obesity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.154-159
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• 1995

Inhibition of xanthine oxidase by tea extracts obtained from non-fermented tea(steamed green tea and roasted green tea), semi-fermented tea(oolong tea) and fermented tea(black tea) were investigated. The crude catechin fraciton had a hgher inhibitory effect against xanthine oxidase, and the effect was increased with the addition of tea extracts. Their inhibitory effect were hardly influenced until extracted three times with hot water. According to the investigation of catechins in the crude catechin fraction obtained from tea extracts, (-)-epicatechin-(EC), (-)-epicatechin gallate(ECg). (-)-epigallocatechin(EGC) and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate(EGCg) were 80.1$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg 113.5$\mu\textrm{g}$ /mg, 186.3$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg and 367.7$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg in steamed green tea, and 75.6$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg, 114.7$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg, 193.7 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mg and 381.9$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg in roasted green tea, and 69.4$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg, 110.0$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg, 127.1$\mu\textrm{g}$.mg and 464.9$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg in oolong tea, and 78.1$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg, 171.8$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg, 80.7$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg and 51.4$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg in black tea, respectively. Order of the content of these catechins was (-)-EGCg>(-)-EGC>(-)-ECg>(-)-EC in steamed green tea, roasted green tea and oolong tea, and was (-)-ECg>(-)-EGC>(-)-EC>(-)-EGCg in black tea. Also the concentration of catechins was hardly influeced until extracted three times. The inhibition ratio of xanthine oxidase by autherntic catechins was hardly influenced until extracted three times. The inhibition ratio of xanthine oxidase by authentic catechins was 94.9% and 87.6% by addition of 5.0$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of (-)-EGCg and (-)-ECg, respectively. the inhibitors of xanthine oxidase were supposed to be due to (-)-ECg and (-)-EGCg in tea polyphenol compounds.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.312-318
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• 2016

Objectives: Bacterial resistant infections have become a global health challenge and threaten the society's health. Thus, an urgent need exists to find ways to combat resistant pathogens. One promising approach to overcoming bacterial resistance is the use of herbal products. Green tea catechins, the major green tea polyphenols, show antimicrobial activity against resistant pathogens. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of catechins, green tea extract, and methylxanthines in combination with gentamicin against standard and clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and the standard strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of different agents against bacterial strains were determined. The interactions of green tea extract, epigallate catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, two types of methylxanthine, caffeine, and theophylline with gentamicin were studied in vitro by using a checkerboard method and calculating the fraction inhibitory concentration index (FICI). Results: The MICs of gentamicin against bacterial strains were in the range of $0.312-320{\mu}g/mL$. The MIC values of both types of catechins were $62.5-250{\mu}g/mL$. Green tea extract showed insufficient antibacterial activity when used alone. Methylxanthines had no intrinsic inhibitory activity against any of the bacterial strains tested. When green tea extract and catechins were combined with gentamicin, the MIC values of gentamicin against the standard strains and a clinical isolate were reduced, and synergistic activities were observed (FICI < 1). A combination of caffeine with gentamicin did not alter the MIC values of gentamicin. Conclusion: The results of the present study revealed that green tea extract and catechins potentiated the antimicrobial action of gentamicin against some clinical isolates of S. aureus and standard P. aeruginosa strains. Therefore, combinations of gentamicin with these natural compounds might be a promising approach to combat microbial resistance.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.10-19
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• 2006

Despite several recent attempts to measure the concentration of individual catechins by HPLC, it has not been so easy to separate catechins accurately. The aim of the present work is to provide a proper condition for separating each component of catechins by HPLC analysis, and also to evaluate the experimental variables including color differences, and metal ion contents after dyeing and mordanting. Four kinds of Catechins, (-)-epicatechin(EC), (-)-epicatechin gallate(ECG), (-)-epigallocatechin(EgC), (-)-epigallocatechin gllate(EgCG) were isolated from the residues after dyeing. Catechins in Korean green tea leaves are richer when e tea leaves are younger. Higher concentration of catechins owes it to e way it is processed. The contents of catechins adsorbed in silk fabrics after dyeing were in order of EGCG>ECG>EGC>EC. We have found $68\%$ uptake of EGCG, and 116.8mg of EGCG in the silk fabrics after it was dyed with $1\%$ Korean green tea extracts. The absorbance intensity and K/S values of dyed silk fabrics were increased with dyeing temperature and time. Only the surface color of the silk fabric dyed with green tea extracts was yellowish red, but it changed from yellowish red to red with an increase in the mordant concentration. Post-mordanted silk fabrics with ferrous sulfate changed from yellowish red to red and purple color shade. In a practical evaluation, there is no significant change in color after twenty times of the continuous dry cleaning process. However, post-mordanted fabrics with ferrous sulfate faded the brightness of color after dry cleaning. Dyeing silk fabrics with a Korean tea extract reduced the metal ion contents in the silk fabrics when compared to the untreated silk fabrics. Metal contents in silk fabrics dyed and post-mordanted with $1\%$ each metal solution were 0.194 ppm for Aluminum, 1.601ppm for Copper, and 0.334 ppm for Iron. After the post-mordanting process, the heavy metal ion absorption increased, which was mainly attributed to the catechins and polyphenols in dyed silk fabrics.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.799-804
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• 2006

Ingestion of green tea has been shown to decrease prostaglandin $E_2$ levels in human colorectum, suggesting that tea constituents modulate arachidonic acid metabolism. In the present study, we investigated the effects of four purified green tea catechins, (-)-epicatechin (EC), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), and (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG), on the catalytic activity of cytosolic phospholipase $A_2$ ($cPLA_2$) and release of arachidonic acid and its metabolites from intact cells. At $50\;{\mu}M$, EGCG and ECG inhibited $cPLA_2$ activity by 19 and 37%, respectively, whereas EC and EGC were less effective. The inhibitory effects of these catechins on arachidonic acid metabolism in intact cells were much more pronounced. At $10\;{\mu}M$, EGCG and ECG inhibited the release of arachidonic acid and its metabolites by 50-70% in human colon adenocarcinoma cells (HT-29) and human esophageal squamous carcinoma cells (KYSE-190 and 450). EGCG and ECG also inhibited arachidonic acid release induced by A23187, a calcium ionophore, in both HT-29 and KYSE-450 cell lines by 30-50%. The inhibitory effects of green tea catechins on $cPLA_2$ and arachidonic acid release may provide a possible mechanism for the prevention of human gastrointestinal inflammation and cancers.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.775-781
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• 1995

This study was conducted to find out the variation in some medicinal components of Korean green tea by processing recipe and harvesting time in Bongsan-ri(steamroasted green tea) and Buchun-ri(roasted green tea) area. Total chlorophyll content of green tea grown at Bongsan-ri and Buchun-ri was 293mg% and 275mg% and ratio of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b was 70:30 and 67:33 respectively. The later harvested one had the higher chlorophyll content but the chlorophyll content of the last harvested green tea at Buchun-ri decreased more sharply. Water-soluble pectin of green tea produced at Bongsan-ri and Buchun-ri was 2.05% and 1.84%, respectively. It also increased at the later harvested ones. Total amino acids content of Bongsan-ri and Buchun-ri tea was 2,156mg% and 1,723mg%, respectively. The later harvested tea showed the remarkably decreased. Caffein and catechins of Bongsan-ri and Buchun-ri tea were 2.03%, 11.52% and 2.62%, 14.05%, respectively, Total free catechins content of Bongsan-ri and Buchun-ri tea was 35.59% and 42.73%, and ester type was 58.09% and 44.47%, respectively. Extracted catechins and caffeins of green tea were increased when extracting water temperature was raised from $65^{\circ}C$ to 85$^{\circ}C$ and leaching time was lengthened from 3min. to 9min. About 89% catechins and 97% caffeins of green tea was extracted by nine minutes soaking in 85$^{\circ}C$ water.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Dyers and Finishers Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.296-301
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• 2004

We focused our research interests on the characteristic of silk fabrics dyed with green tea extracts and, moreover, revealed the catechin content of silk fabrics after dyeing with Korean tea extract by measuring the residues. Three kinds of green tea samples were taken between April and May, 2003, from Bosung(southern province in South Korea), in different terms as the first corp, the second corp, and the third corp. Before and after dyeing the silk fabrics with these extracts, catechins in the residue were analyzed by HPLC. Four kinds of Catechins, such as (-)-epicatechin(EC), (-)-epicatechin gallate(ECG), (-)-epigallocatechin (EgC), (-)-epigallocatechin gallate(EgCG) were isolated from Korean green tea extracts. Catechine contents in Korean green tea leaves depend on the making process such as heating and steaming, and the younger the richer. The absorbed catechins in sillk fabrics after dyeing followed in a decreasing order of EgCG>EgC>ECG>EC. We have found a 68% uptake of EgCG, and 116.8mg/g of EgCG in the silk fabrics after dyeing with 1% Korean green tea extracts.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.77-82
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• 1996

Green tea catechins(GTC) were studied for its inhibitory effect on human platelet aggregation in vitro, for its antithrombotic effect in mice in viro, and bleeding and clotting time in rats. The catechins were isolated and purified from green tea, which were composed of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, (-)-epigallocatechin, (-)epicatechin gallate and (-)-epicatechin, GTC produced a potent inhibition of human platelet aggregation in a dose-dependent manner against the stimulants such as ADP, collagen, epinephrine and ristocetin n vitro. GTC also prevented death due to the formation of pulmonary thrombosis by platelet aggregates in mice in a dose-de-pendent manner in viro. GTC increased the bleeding time, whole blood clotting time and plasma clotting time in rats, too. These results suggest that GTC is a promising antithrombotic agent.