Tea and Health

Tea is the most popular beverage after water. Since it’s discovery by the Chinese emperor Shen Nong way back in 2737 BC, Tea was refreshing the mankind by providing many health and functional properties. By the way, as Laboratory Equipment had reported, a new study conducted at the University of California, Irvine claims that compounds in both black and green tea relax blood vessels by activating ion channel proteins in the blood vessel wall. This discovery assists explaining the antihypertensive properties of tea and may lead to the design of new blood pressure-lowering medications.

Published in Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry, the discovery was made by the laboratory of Geoffrey Abbott, a professor at the UCI School of Medicine. Kaitlyn Redford, a graduate student in the Abbott Lab, was first author of the study titled, “KCNQ5 potassium channel activation underlies vasodilation by tea.”

Prof. Abbott claimed that two catechin-type flavonoid compounds (epicatechin gallate and epigallocatechin-3-gallate) available in tea, each activate a specific type of ion channel protein called KCNQ5, that allows potassium ions to diffuse out of cells to minimize cellular excitability. As KCNQ5 is available in the smooth muscle that lines blood vessels, its activation by tea catechins was also predicted to relax blood vessels—a prediction confirmed by collaborators at the University of Copenhagen.

The researchers in the present study found that when black tea was directly applied to cells containing the KCNQ5 channel, the addition of milk prevented the beneficial KCNQ5-activating effects of tea. So “theaflavins available in pure black tea may also activates KCNQ5” (haven’t mentioned in the study)

One third of the world’s adult population have hypertension, and this condition is considered as the main risk factor for global cardiovascular disease and premature mortality. Earlier studies demonstrated that consumption of tea can minimize blood pressure by a small but consistent amount, and catechins were previously found to contribute to this property.

In addition to its role in controlling vascular tone, KCNQ5 is expressed in various parts of the brain, where it regulates electrical activity and signaling between neurons. Pathogenic KCNQ5 gene variants exist that impair its channel function and in doing so cause epileptic encephalopathy, a developmental disorder that is severely debilitating and causes frequent seizures. Because catechins can cross the blood-brain barrier, discovery of their ability to activate KCNQ5 may suggest a future mechanism to fix broken KCNQ5 channels to ameliorate brain excitability disorders stemming from their dysfunction.

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References

1. Main Source: https://www.laboratoryequipment.com/573999-New-Discovery-Explains-Antihypertensive-Properties-of-Tea/
2. Original Research Paper: https://www.cellphysiolbiochem.com/Articles/000337/

An outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) occurred in Wuhan and it has rapidly spread to almost all parts of the world. Everyone has to be responsible in this tricky situation. Before providing details of research related to Theaflavins, I would like to request you kindly to stay at home as long as possible & follow the guidance provided by World Health Organization

To prevent infection and to slow transmission of COVID-19, do the following:

• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, or clean them with alcohol-based hand rub.
  
• Maintain at least 1 metre distance between you and people coughing or sneezing.
  
• Avoid touching your face.
  
• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
  
• Stay home if you feel unwell.
  
• Refrain from smoking and other activities that weaken the lungs.
  
• Practice physical distancing by avoiding unnecessary travel and staying away from large groups of people.

Also please contact your health service provider immediately, if you show common symptoms Include,

• fever
• tiredness
• dry cough.

Other symptoms include:

• shortness of breath
• aches and pains
• sore throat
• and very few people will report diarrhoea, nausea or a runny nose.

Turning back to the research, RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is an important protease that catalyzes the replication of RNA from RNA template and is an attractive therapeutic target. 

Here, researchers screened these chemical structures from traditional Chinese medicinal compounds proven to show antiviral activity in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‐CoV) and the similar chemical structures through a molecular docking study to target RdRp of SARS‐CoV‐2, SARS‐CoV, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV). Researchers have found that theaflavin has a lower idock score in the catalytic pocket of RdRp in SARS‐CoV‐2 (−9.11 kcal/mol), SARS‐CoV (−8.03 kcal/mol), and MERS‐CoV (−8.26 kcal/mol) from idock. To confirm the result, scientists discovered that theaflavin has lower binding energy of −8.8 kcal/mol when it docks in the catalytic pocket of SARS‐CoV‐2 RdRp by using the Blind Docking server. Regarding contact modes, hydrophobic interactions contribute significantly in binding and additional hydrogen bonds were found between theaflavin and RdRp. Moreover, one π‐cation interaction was formed between theaflavin and Arg553 from the Blind Docking server. Our results suggest that theaflavin could be a potential SARS‐CoV‐2 RdRp inhibitor for further study.

Theaflavins and theaflavin gallate derivatives have shown broad‐spectrum antiviral activity against several viruses, including influenza A and B viruses and hepatitis C virus.

Tea is the most common beverage in the world after water which has got many health and functional benefits. It’s also vital to maintain a good immune system by having fresh veges, fruits and herbs.

Also don’t forget to enjoy a nice cup of Black Tea ideally with no milk or sugar in order to gain maximum benefits.

Comments on Green Tea Vs Black Tea Health Benefits

Green tea growing nations like Japan and China conducted many experiments / researches related to health benefits of green tea. Marketers conveyed these findings and ultimately green tea was better perceived as a healthy tea compared to black tea. But later on, EU nations like Netherlands conducted experiments on black tea health. Based on results, Dutch health council recommended both black and green tea for a healthy life. As a result of this, some schools in Netherlands started to serve tea to students during lunch time ( https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/11985021/Drink-five-cups-of-tea-a-day-Dutch-health-council-says.html). Good thing is Dutch health council have clearly differentiated tea from Rooibos and other herbal infusions.

Green tea contains catechins (A group of Polyphenols) which is a powerful antioxidant group which is known to minimize the effect of cardio vascular diseases, cancers, diabetes etc. Black tea contains Theaflavins and thearubigins which are also antioxidants responsible for the same health benefits mentioned above. Even though there are minor differences all black, Oolong and green teas are equally healthy.

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References

1. Original Research Paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jmv.25761
2. World Health Organization