title: Tea, obesity, and diabetes.
abstract: Tea has been found to possess widespread biological functions based on a variety of laboratory data. The effects of tea on obesity and diabetes have received increasing attention. This paper reviews the evidence for the connections among tea catechins, and obesity and diabetes. Tea catechins, especially (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), appear to have antiobesity and antidiabetic effects. While few epidemiological and clinical studies show the health benefits of EGCG on obesity and diabetes, the mechanisms of its actions are emerging based on the various laboratory data. These mechanisms may be related to certain pathways, such as through the modulations of energy balance, endocrine systems, food intake, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, the redox status, and activities of different types of cells (i. e., fat, liver, muscle, and beta-pancreatic cells). Because the EGCG receptor, the so-called 67-kDa laminin receptor (LR), has been discovered with colocalization of other types of LR and cytoskeleton in both cancer cells and normal cells, this may explain that EGCG possesses numerous actions. The mechanistic results of this review may possibly be utilized in the treatment of obesity, diabetes, and other related diseases using tea- and EGCG-based folk medicines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, College of Science, National Central University, Chung-Li City, Taoyuan, Taiwan. ykao@cc.ncu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Yung-Hsi
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Hsin-Huei
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Meng-Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chia-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002392:Catechin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008066:Lipolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D017474:Receptors, Laminin; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D006728:Hormones; D008055:Lipids; D017474:Receptors, Laminin; D013662:Tea; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate