title: Physiological effects of L-theanine on Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: Green tea has been consumed as the most popular drink in East Asia for centuries, and is believed to have a wide range of health benefits. L-Theanine, the major component of the free amino acids in green tea, has been reported to display neuronal protection and tumor inhibition in vitro, but its physiological effects on animal development and behavior remain elusive. In this report, we used Drosophila melanogaster, the fruit fly, as a model organism to investigate the physiological effects of L-theanine. Flies were fed with three different concentrations of theanine as a dietary supplement after eclosion, and were examined for a variety of physiological parameters at different time points. We found theanine treatment results in significantly increased locomotion and courtship ability, and decreased resistance against wet and dry starvation in males, but not in females. Furthermore, theanine application diminished UV tolerance in females, but not in males. However, we did not perceive distinguishable effect of theanine on animal development, life span, weight, and tolerance of heat and anoxia. This work represents the first comprehensive physiological investigation of L-theanine at the whole animal level, and shall shed light on the mechanistic study of theanine in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, Shanghai 10th People's Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China. liping01@tongji.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Wenzhe
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Huiyi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ruiqi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Kingston
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pung
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xue
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003380:Courtship; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005971:Glutamates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D008136:Longevity / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D013217:Starvation; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005971:Glutamates; D013662:Tea; C026166:theanine