• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.117-123
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• 2005

A cumulative evidence indicates that consumption of tea catechin, flavan-3-ol derived from green tea leaves, lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, a precise mechanism for this cardiovascular action has not yet been fully understood. In the present study, we investigated the effects of different green tea catechins, such as epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin-3 gallate (ECG), and epicatechin (EC), on angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertrophy in primary cultured rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC). [$^3H$]-leucine incorporation was used to assess VSMC hypertrophy, protein kinase assay, and western blot analysis were used to assess mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity, and RT-PCR was used to assess c-jun or c-fos transcription. Ang II increased [$^3H$]-leucine incorporation into VSMC. However, EGCG and ECG, but not EGC or EC, inhibited [$^3H$]-leucine incorporation increased by Ang II. Ang II increased phosphorylation of c-Jun, extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and p38 MAPK in VSMC, however, EGCG and ECG , but not EGC or EC, attenuated c-Jun phosphorylation increased by Ang II. ERK 1/2 and p38 MAPK phosphorylation induced by Ang II were not affected by any catechins. Ang II increased c-jun and c-fos mRNA expression in VSMC, however, EGCG inhibited c-jun but not c-fos mRNA expression induced by Ang II. ECG, EGC and EC did not affect c-jun or c-fos mRNA expression induced by Ang II. Our findings indicate that the galloyl group in the position 3 of the catechin structure of EGCG or ECG is essential for inhibiting VSMC hypertrophy induced by Ang II via the specific inhibition of JNK signaling pathway, which may explain the beneficial effects of green tea catechin on the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases observed in several epidemiological studies.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.464-469
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• 2008

In human beings, it is known that there is a correlation between the occurrence of acne and the ability to suppress sebum. Sebosuppression may be related to the inhibition of sebocyte proliferation, differentiation, and lipogenesis in sebaceous glands. To investigate the skin sebosuppressive activity of green tea extract, the in vivo effects of its flavonoid compounds on the androgen-dependent stimulation of pigmented macules in hamsters and performed in vitro experiments with human primary sebocytes were examined. Our results imply a dual activity of skin sebosuppression by green tea flavonoids; some catechins including epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and gallocatechin-3-gallate (GCG) may reduce the differentiation of sebocytes by inhibiting PPAR-${\gamma}1$ mRNA expression, whereas some flavonol glycosides including kaempferol may inhibit lipogenesis in sebaceous glands by decreasing levels of the mature form of sterol-sensitive response elements binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c). Therefore, green tea is a potentially effective material for use in the development of health foods or cosmetics for skin sebosuppression.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.1024-1028
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• 1999

Green tea infusions were prepared by extracting them with aqueous solution of different pHs and their physicochemical properties were analyzed. Yellowness, chroma and total color difference values were increased as pH increased. The content of total amino acids in the green tea infusion was not influenced by pH values. Total catechin contents of the green tea infusion extracted at pH 4.0, 5.0, 6.0 and 7.0 were 32.28, 31.84, 31.14 and 14.70 mg/g, respectively. Among the four catechins investigated, epigallocatechingallate and epigallocatechin are more unstable as the pH was changed from 6.0 to 7.0. As pH increased, the extraction of caffeine was also increased. In conclusion, extraction at low pH is preferred for the preparation of green tea infusion.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.114.2-114.2
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• 2002

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.205-211
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• 1992

A simple dignostic method using Fast Atom Bombardment mass spectrometry was applied to the characterization of green tea flavonols from the eluates of Sepahadex LH-20 column chromatography. From the ethyl acetate extracts, crude mixture of flavonol fraction(Fr.$1{\sim}4$) were separated by the stepwise gradient elution with 30, 45, and 60% aqueous acetone. Procyanidine B analogues were found to be typical constituents of Fr. 1. Main components of Fr. 2 were catechins and gallo-catechins. Fr. 3 contained mainly ester type compounds, catechin-gallates, gallocatechin-gallates with their analogues. Fr. 4 was contaminated with some phthalate esters.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.421-426
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• 2006

Preservation stability of the extract from dried green tea produced in Jeju, extracted at $55^{\circ}C$ for 15 min and bottled in PET container after filtration and then settled at $4^{\circ}C$, indoor at room temperature and outdoor, respectively, was estimated. Color L-value was almost constant but color of the extract became darkened during storage, especially in indoor storage. Main catechins of green tea extract were (-)-epigallocatechin, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, epicatechin, (+)-catechin, epicatechin gallate in order, and the content of epigallocatechin was 53.8%. Nevertheless total catechin content was not changed in cold storage, and $4.7\sim10%$ of total catechins were reduced in outdoor or indoor storage after 14 weeks. Caffeine content were increased but total polyphenols were not changed largely during storage. Election donating abilities (EDA) showed more than 60% without influence of storage conditions and periods. Nitrite scavenging abilities (NSA) showed more than 90% at pH 1.2, but those were decreased gradually as pH increased, and then disappeared at pH 6.0. Color, polyphenols, antioxidant activities of extract were not so changed for more than 3 months. Microbial growth was not shown during same periods, due to heat treatment of the extracts at $95^{\circ}C$ for 10 min.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition Conference
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• 2001.12a
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• pp.74-87
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• 2001

Evidence shows that the serum level of cholesterol (CH) is decreased with increasing green tea (GT) consumption. This presentation summarizes our recent findings on the effect of GT extract on intestinal absorption of [$^{14}C$-labeled CH and phosphatidylcholine (PC). Ovariectomized (OX) adult rats were infused intraduodenally with lipid emulsions containing radiolabeled lipids [$^{14}C$-CH or $^{14}C$-phosphatidylcholine (PC)] in the presence of GT extract or catechins to determine the rates and amounts of CH absorption and the intestinal hydrolysis and lymphatic output of PC. During lipid infusion, lymph was collected hourly for 8 h. The lymphatic absorption of $^14C$-CH was drastically lowered by infusion of GT extract at two dosage levels (GTl =5.4 mg catechins/h and GT2 = 15.1mg catechins/h). The cumulative lymphatic absorptions of $^{14}C$-CH in rats infused with GT1 and GT2 were 20.7$\pm$4.3 and $4.8{\pm}4.1{\%}$ dose, respectively, whereas the absorption of $^{14}C$-CH in rats infused with no GT extract (GT0) was $36.3{\pm}1.1{\%}$ dose. GT extracts also significantly lowered the absorption of-tocopherol (TP) in a dose dependent manner ($29.6{\pm}4.9{\%}$ dose in GT0, $20.8{\pm}5.8{\%}$ dose in GTl, and $7.9{\pm}5.4{\%}$ dose in GT2 groups). Both (+)-catechin and EGCG significantly lowered the lymphatic outputs of $^{14}C$-radioactivity after intraduodenal $^{14}C$-PC infusion. A significantly higher amount of $^{14}C$-PC remained unhydrolyzed in the intestinal lumen of the EGCG rats ($22.8{\%}$) compared with the (+)-catechin ($15.8\%$) and control groups ($11.9\%$). GT extracts, (+)-catechin, and EGCG significantly reduced the absorption of TP. The inhibitory effect of GT extract and catechins on lipid absorption may be mediated in part through the inhibition of pancreatic PLAz. The findings provide the first direct evidence that green tea and catechins have a profound inhibitory effect on the intestinal absorption of CH in OX rats. Results suggest that green tea and catechins may be used as a dietary or pharmacological means of lowering cholesterol absorption.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.319-323
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• 2010

Recently, Korean traditional raw rice wines (RRW) have received attention because they are a nutritious food with health properties. But the rapid deterioration of fermented RRW is one of the serious problems for brewing and marketing in the world beyond Korea. The goal of this study was to develop a way to enhance the quality and to lengthen the period of circulation of the RRW. A lactic acid bacterium was isolated from RRW. It was identified as Lactobacillus fermentum (98%) based on its biochemical properties, and 16S rRNA sequence. Treatments of RRW with gamma radiation and green tea extracts reduced the bacterial population except for yeasts and Lactobacillus in the RRW. This result suggested that the natural plant extracts and catechin products can be used as an effective natural storage agent.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.387-391
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• 2008

Green tea is popular plants in Asian countries and has become more widespread in western countries due to its taste characteristics and health benefits. Apart from green tea leafs, however, the use of root and seed of green tea tree has not intensively been investigated yet. In this study, the contents of mineral, vitamin, total amino acid, free amino acid, and total polyphenol (catechin, caffeic acid, and chlorogenic acid) of the root and seed of green tea tree were analyzed for the development of healthy foods. For minerals, potassium contents were 1,052 and 1,480 mg/100g-dry weight of root and seed, respectively. The order of mineral contents were as follows: K > P > Ca > Mg > Na > Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu in root and K > P > Na > Ca > Mg > Mn > Fe > Cu > Zn in seed. For vitamins, vitamin C contents were 5.72 and 6.05 mg/100g-dry weight of root and seed, respectively. The presence of more various kinds of vitamins were observed in seed than in root. For total amino acids, the contents were 1,651 and 4,335 mg/100g-dry weight of root and seed, respectively. The total amino acid contents of seed and root were higher than those in commercial green tea products. Especially the phenylalanine contents were 16 and 139 mg/100g-dry weight of root and seed, respectively whereas phenylalanine was not found in commercial green tea products. Concerning free amino acids, the bitter tasting amino acids such as arginine, valine and tryptophan were more abundant in root and the sweet tasting ones such as glutamic acid, alanine, aspartic acid, and serine were more abundant in seed. The total polyphenol contents were 237 and 81 mg/100g-dry weight of root and seed, respectively. The polyphenol contents in root were three times higher than that in seed so root may be a better source for antioxidant ingredients than seed. Among many polyphenols, catechin, caffeic acid, and chlorogenic acid were the top three major components.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.720-724
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• 2011

Differences in sensory evaluation, physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities between green tea concentrations and tannase-treated green tea concentrations were measured in this study. The results showed that pH did not differ dependent on tannase treatment but antioxidant ability were slightly increased through tannase treatment without significant($p$ <0.05). However, the turbidity of the tannase-treated green tea concentration had significant difference to the non-treated concentration. The astringency, tested via sensory evaluation, decreased significantly after tannase treatment($p$ <0.05). Traces of epicatechin gallate(ECG) and epigallocatechin gallate(EGCG) also disappeared after the tannase treatment, due to the fact that the ester linkages in the catechin structure were broken by the tannase. It was concluded that tannase treatment of tea products is a very effective process for decreasing astringency and turbidity.