title: Effects of crude drugs on experimental hypercholesterolemia. I. Tea and its active principles.
abstract: The effect of methanol extractives from tea leaves on hypercholesterolemia was examined in animal models. It was found that orally administered (-)-epicatechin gallate and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate from tea leaves lowered the serum cholesterol level in mice fed a high fat emulsion. Quantitation of tissue cholesterol and examination of liver tissues in mice fed a high cholesterol diet revealed that these constituents also significantly lowered the amount of cholesterol crystallization. These results support the reputed effectiveness of tea use in hypercholesterolemia.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002392:Catechin / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D005217:Fat Emulsions, Intravenous; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013662:Tea / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D005217:Fat Emulsions, Intravenous; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013662:Tea; D002392:Catechin