title: The effects of theanine, as a novel biochemical modulator, on the antitumor activity of adriamycin.
abstract: We studied the effects of theanine, a component of green tea leaves, on the antitumor activity of adriamycin (ADR) from the biochemical modulation view point. In vitro, theanine inhibited the ADR efflux from Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells and maintained the ADR concentration in tumor cells. Theanine enhanced the inhibitory effect of ADR on tumor growth by 2.1-fold in vivo, and increased 2.9-fold the ADR concentration in the tumor, compared to the ADR alone group. An increase in ADR concentration was not observed in normal tissues, such as the heart and liver. Theanine did not enhance, rather tended to normalize the increase of lipid peroxide level and reduction of glutathione peroxidase activity as indicators of the ADR-induced side toxicity.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sadzuka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miyagishima
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nozawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirota
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002286:Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005971:Glutamates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D005971:Glutamates; D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D002110:Caffeine; D004317:Doxorubicin; C026166:theanine; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase