| Compounds in Green Tea that are thought to help | | | | In Vivo: |
| against cancer: | | | | Evidence from Animal Studies Journal of Nutrition |
| Catechins | | | | October 2003 133:3275S-3284S |
| A green tea leaf contains catechins, they are the | | | | Restrains tumours |
| components that give a bitter taste to the tea. | | | | Acting component: Catechins (EGCG and ECG) |
| EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) accounts for | | | | How: |
| 10%-50% of the total green tea catechins. By | | | | EGCG stops the growth of tumours by inducing |
| virtue of its peculiar stereochemical structure, | | | | apoptosis¹ (process of cell self destruction), |
| EGCG possesses much stronger anti-oxidant | | | | inhibiting cell-growth and disrupting the cell-cycle. |
| qualities than the other catechins found in green | | | | ² EGCG suppresses the growth of |
| tea and plays an important role in preventing | | | | cancerous cells, ECG in some cases was found to |
| cancer and cardiovascular diseases. ECGC remove | | | | be more effective as suppressing growth than |
| oxidised free radicals from the body which | | | | EGCG. ³ Green tea contains both of these |
| prevents damage to the cells and DNA. The anti | | | | Catechins. Angiogenesis is the growth of new |
| oxidant properties of EGCG are believed to be | | | | blood vessels from pre-existing capillaries. This |
| 100 more times more effective than vitamin C | | | | process is involved in the development of cancer. |
| and 25 times more effective than vitamin E. | | | | Angiogenesis is necessary for tumour growth, as |
| ( | | | | it provides nutrients and oxygen for the growing |
| Flavonoids | | | | tumour. A potential mechanism by which green |
| Flavonoids are plant pigments; they are the | | | | tea may prevent cancer development is through |
| brightly coloured chemical constituents found in | | | | the inhibition of angiogenesis.? |
| most fresh fruits and vegetables. Flavonoids are | | | | Researchers at the University of Murcia in Spain |
| essential for processing vitamin C and are needed | | | | (UMU) and the John Innes Center (JIC) in Norwich |
| to maintain capillary walls. They may aid in | | | | have shown that EGCG prevents cancer cells |
| protecting against infection and deficiency can | | | | from growing by binding to a specific enzyme. |
| result in a tendency to bruise easily. | | | | -Research is published in the International Journal |
| Health benefits | | | | for Cancer Research. |
| Reduces the risk of cancer | | | | Studies |
| Acting components: Flavonoids and Catechins | | | | ¹ Rajesh L. Thangapazham, Anoop K. Singh, |
| How: | | | | Anuj Sharma, James Warren, Jaya P. Gaddipati |
| Carcinogens are cancer causing agents. | | | | and Radha K. Maheshwari. Green tea polyphenols |
| Phytochemicals may prevent carcinogens from | | | | and its constituent epigallocatechin gallate inhibits |
| forming. Flavonoids are a type of phytochemical | | | | proliferation of human breast cancer cells in vitro |
| found in Green tea. Experimental studies have | | | | and in vivo. Cancer Lett. Epub March 3, 2006. |
| shown that tea and tea polyphenols have | | | | Vergote D.; Cren-Olivé C.; Chopin V.; |
| anti-carcinogenic properties against breast | | | | Toillon R-A.; Rolando C.; Hondermarck H.; Bourhis |
| cancer.¹ Studies also suggest that ECGC | | | | X.L. (-)-Epigallocatechin (GC) of green tea induces |
| may reduce the risk of cancer.² A | | | | apoptosis of human breast cancer cells but not of |
| population-based, case-control study of breast | | | | their normal counterparts. Breast Cancer Res |
| cancer among Chinese, Japanese and Filipino | | | | Treat. 2002 76, 3:195-201 |
| women in Los Angeles County suggested an | | | | ²Vaqar M. Adhami, Nihal Ahmad and Hasan |
| inverse link between Green tea intake and the | | | | Mukhtar Molecular Targets for Green Tea in |
| development of breast cancer. ³ Similar | | | | Prostate Cancer Prevention The Journal of |
| study was done with women in Italy which | | | | Nutrition (July 2003) 133:2417S-2424S N Ahmad, |
| showed a similar inverse link.? | | | | DK Feyes, AL Nieminen, R Agarwal and H |
| Results from animal studies and possible cancer | | | | Mukhtar Green tea constituent |
| inhibitory mechanisms might be applicable to | | | | epigallocatechin-3-gallate and induction of apoptosis |
| human cancer prevention. The results and possible | | | | and cell cycle arrest in human carcinoma cells |
| applications are discussed in a study by C.S Yang | | | | Journal Of The National Cancer Institute 1997, Vol |
| et al. 2000. ? 'Free radicals attack healthy cells, | | | | 89, 1881-1886 Bigelow RL, Cardelli JA. The green |
| which changes their DNA, allowing tumors [sic] to | | | | tea catechins, (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) |
| grow. Antioxidants are substances that inhibit the | | | | and (-)-Epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG), inhibit HGF/Met |
| oxidation process and act as protective agents. | | | | signaling in immortalized and tumorigenic breast |
| Antioxidants Research is underway to investigate | | | | epithelial cells. Oncogene. 2006 25, 13:1922-30 |
| the role of antioxidants in decreasing the risk of | | | | ³Mepur H. Ravindranath, Thiruverkadu S. |
| developing cancer. | | | | Saravanan, Clarence C. Monteclaro, Naftali Presser, |
| ( | | | | Xing Ye, Senthamil R. Selvan and Stanley |
| Catechins found in green tea are noted for their | | | | Brosman Epicatechins Purified from Green Tea |
| antioxidant properties.? | | | | (Camellia sinensis) Differentially Suppress Growth |
| ( | | | | of Gender-Dependent Human Cancer Cell Lines |
| Studies | | | | Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2006 Jun |
| ¹Can-Lan Sun , Jian-Min Yuan, Woon-Puay | | | | ;3:237-47 |
| Koh and Mimi C. Yu Green tea, black tea and | | | | ?Rodriguez SK, Guo W, Liu L, Band MA, Paulson |
| breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis of | | | | EK, Meydani M. Green tea catechin, |
| epidemiological studies Carcinogenesis 2006 | | | | epigallocatechin-3-gallate, inhibits vascular endothelial |
| 27(7):1310-1315 ² Maryam R. Sartippour, | | | | growth factor angiogenic signaling by disrupting |
| Zhi-Ming Shao, David Heber, Perrin Beatty, Liping | | | | the formation of a receptor complex. International |
| Zhang, | | | | Journal of Cancer 2006;118(7):1635-44. Jian-Min |
| Canhui Liu, Lee Ellis, Wen Liu, Vay Liang Go and | | | | Yuan , Woon-Puay Koh , Can-Lan Sun , Hin-Peng |
| Mai N. Brooks Green Tea Inhibits Vascular | | | | Lee and Mimi C. Yu . Green tea intake, ACE gene |
| Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Induction in | | | | polymorphism and breast cancer risk among |
| Human Breast Cancer Cells | | | | Chinese women in Singapore. Carcinogenesis. 2005 |
| Journal of Nutrition. 2002 132:2307-2311 | | | | 26, 8:1389-94, |
| ³Anna H. Wu , Mimi C. Yu , Chiu-Chen Tseng | | | | Helps the success of cancer treatments Acting |
| , Jean Hankin , Malcolm C. Pike. Green tea and risk | | | | Components: |
| of breast cancer in Asian Americans. International | | | | Catechin (EGCG) |
| Journal of Cancer. Sept. 10 106(4) :574-579. | | | | How: |
| ?Cristina Bosetti, Luana Spertini, Maria Parpinel, | | | | Radiation treatment for cancer can promote |
| Patrizia Gnagnarella, Pagona Lagiou, Eva Negri, | | | | angiogenesis (the growth of new blood vessels |
| Silvia Franceschi, Maurizio Montella, Julie Peterson, | | | | frompre-existing capillaries providing nutrients and |
| Johanna Dwyer, Attilio Giacosa and Carlo La | | | | oxygen for the growing tumour) ECGC catechins |
| Vecchia Flavonoids and breast cancer risk in Italy. | | | | have anti-angiogenic properties that could help to |
| Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & | | | | counteract this.¹ |
| Prevention April 2005 Vol. 14, 805-808, | | | | Studies |
| ?Chung S. Yang, Jee Y. Chung, Guang-yu Yang, | | | | ¹Annabi B, Lee YT, Martel C, Pilorget A, |
| Saranjit K. Chhabra and Mao-Jung Lee. Tea and | | | | Bahary JP, Beliveau R Radiation |
| tea polyphenols in cancer prevention. Journal of | | | | induced-tubulogenesis in endothelial cells is |
| Nutrition. 2000;130:472S-478S.. ?Balz Frei and Jane | | | | antagonized by the antiangiogenic properties of |
| V. Higdon Antioxidant Activity of Tea Polyphenols | | | | green tea polyphenol (-) epigallocatechin-3-gallate. |