title: Effects of tea, decaffeinated tea, and caffeine on UVB light-induced complete carcinogenesis in SKH-1 mice: demonstration of caffeine as a biologically important constituent of tea.
abstract: Oral administration of green or black tea inhibited UVB light-induced complete carcinogenesis in the skin of SKH-1 mice. Green tea was a more effective inhibitor than black tea. Oral administration of decaffeinated green or black tea resulted in substantially less inhibitory activity than did administration of the regular teas, and in one experiment, administration of a high-dose level of the decaffeinated teas enhanced the tumorigenic effect of UVB. Oral administration of caffeine alone had a substantial inhibitory effect on UVB-induced carcinogenesis, and adding caffeine to the decaffeinated teas restored the inhibitory effects of these teas on UVB-induced carcinogenesis. In additional studies, topical application of a green tea polyphenol fraction after each UVB application inhibited UVB-induced tumorigenesis. The results indicate that caffeine contributes in an important way to the inhibitory effects of green and black tea on UVB-induced complete carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway 08855-0789, USA.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Z Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Y R
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: C X
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Hard
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Conney
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids; D007636:Keratoacanthoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010212:Papilloma / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010636:Phenols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011108:Polymers / Q000008:administration & dosage; D059808:Polyphenols; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D011108:Polymers; D059808:Polyphenols; D013662:Tea; D002110:Caffeine