Daily consumption of green tea catechin delays memory regression in aged mice.
Almost all elderly people show brain atrophy and cognitive dysfunction, even if they are saved from illness, such as cardiac disease, malignancy and diabetes. Prevention or delay of brain senescence would therefore enhance the quality of life for older persons. Because oxidative stress has been implicated in brain senescence, we investigated the effects of green tea catechin (GT-catechin), a potential antioxidant, in senescence-accelerated (SAMP10) mice. The mouse is a model of brain senescence with short life span, cerebral atrophy and cognitive dysfunction. Mice were fed water containing 0.02% GT-catechin from 1- to 15-month-old. The mean dose was about 35 mg/kg/day. We found that daily consumption of GT-catechin prevented memory regression and DNA oxidative damage in these mice. GT-catechin did not prolong the lifetime of SAMP10 mice, but it did delay brain senescence. These findings suggest that continued intake of GT-catechin might promote healthy ageing of the brain in older persons.
Unno
Keiko
K
Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan. unno@u-shizuoka-ken.ac.jp
Takabayashi
Fumiyo
F
Yoshida
Hirotoshi
H
Choba
Daisuke
D
Fukutomi
Rie
R
Kikunaga
Naomi
N
Kishido
Takahiro
T
Oku
Naoto
N
Hoshino
Minoru
M
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001284:Atrophy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D028241:Camellia sinensis; D002392:Catechin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000187:drug effects*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D004249:DNA Damage; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D023421:Models, Animal; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology
D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002392:Catechin