Anti-inflammatory effects of a polyphenols-rich extract from tea (Camellia sinensis) flowers in acute and chronic mice models.
While beneficial health properties of tea leaves have been extensively studied, less attention is paid to the flowers of tea. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of hot water extract of tea (Camellia sinensis) flowers were investigated. Pharmacological studies found that administration of tea flowers extract (TFE) could effectively inhibit croton oil-induced ear edema and carrageenin-induced paw edema. Furthermore, administration of TFE also protected against Propionibacterium acnes (P. ances) plus lipopolysaccharide-(LPS-) induced liver inflammation by reversing the histologic damage and plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) increase. Moreover, the levels of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-(TNF)-α and interleukin-(IL-) 1β mRNA in mouse liver were markedly suppressed after treatment with TFE in mice with immunological liver inflammation. These results indicated that tea flowers had potent anti-inflammatory effects on acute and immunological inflammation in vivo, and may be used as a functional natural food.
Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
Bang-Tian
BT
Chen
Wei-Xi
WX
Li
Rong-Rong
RR
He
Yi-Fang
YF
Li
Bun
B
Tsoi
Yu-Jia
YJ
Zhai
Hiroshi
H
Kurihara
D000208:Acute Disease; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D028241:Camellia sinensis / Q000737:chemistry*; D002199:Capillary Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D002351:Carrageenan; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003436:Croton Oil; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004423:Ear / Q000473:pathology; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D005121:Extremities / Q000473:pathology; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D059808:Polyphenols; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013662:Tea; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D003436:Croton Oil; D002351:Carrageenan; D000410:Alanine Transaminase