Two visits to the tea countries of China and the British tea plantations in the Himalaya; with a narrative of adventures, and a full description of the culture of the tea plant, the agriculture, horticulture, and botany of China.

Mode of access: Internet.

Enantioselective analysis of propranolol and 4-hydroxypropranolol by CE with application to biotransformation studies employing endophytic fungi

A CE method is described for the enantioselective analysis of propranolol (Prop) and 4-hydroxypropranolol (4-OH-Prop) in liquid Czapek medium with application in the study of the enantioselective biotransformation of Prop by endophytic fungi. The electrophoretic conditions previously optimized were as follows: an uncoated fused-silica capillary, 4%w/v carboxymethyl-beta-CD in 25 mmol/L triethylamine/phosphoric acid (H(3)PO(4)) buffer at pH 9 as running electrolyte and 17 kV of voltage. UV detection was carried out at 208 nm. Liquid-liquid extraction using diethyl ether: ethyl acetate (1:1 v/v) as extractor solvent was employed for sample preparation. The calibration curves were linear over the concentration range of 0.25-10.0 mu g/mL for each 4-OH-Prop enantiomer and 0.10-10.0 mu g/mL for each Prop enantiomer (r >= 0.995). Within-day and between-day relative standard deviations and relative errors for precision and accuracy were lower than 15% for all the enantiomers. Finally, the validated method was used to evaluate Prop biotransformation in its mammalian metabolite 4-OH-Prop by some selected endophytic fungi. The screening of five strains of endophytic fungi was performed and all of them could biotransform Prop to some extent. Specifically, Glomerella cingulata (VA1) biotransformed 47.8% of (-)-(S)-Prop to (-)-(S)-4-OH-Prop with no formation of (+)-(R)4-OH-Prop in 72 h of incubation.

Anti-platelet activity of infusion of Tithonia diversifolia's leaves

Tithonia diversifolia, also known as Mexican arnica, has been used in traditional medicine to treat inflammatory refractory with absence of citotoxicity. The possible health risks associated with the consumption of ingestion of the infusion (tea) plant makes it is necessary to identify the potential pharmacological activity or toxicity to prove certain plants that are acclimated in Brazil. Considering the limited number of pharmacological studies regarding the Tithonia diversifolia, the aim of this study was evaluate the effects of this infusion in platelet aggregation. Venous blood was collected with informed consent from healthy volunteers who denied taking any medication in the previous 14 days. Whole blood was transferred into polypropylene tubes containing one-tenth of final volume of acid citrate dextrose (ACD-C; citric acid 3%, trisodium citrate 4%, glucose 2%; 1:9 v/v) and centrifuged at 200g for 15 min. Platelet rich plasma was added of wash buffer solution (NaCl 140mM, KCl 5mM, sodium citrate 12mM, glucose 10mM and saccharose 12mM; pH 6; 5:7 v/v) and centrifuged at 800g for 12 min at 20°C. Platelet pellet was gently resuspended in Krebs-Ringer solution and counts were performed on a Neubauer chamber. Aggregation assay was carried out with 400 μL of platelet suspension (1.2x10 8 platelets/mL) in a cuvette at 37°C with constant stirring. Platelet suspension was incubated for 3 min with aqueous extract infusion (0.6-20μg/mL) prior to addition of thrombin (100 mU/mL). Percentage of platelet aggregation was recorded with an aggregometer (Chrono-log Lumi-Aggregometer model 560-Ca, USA). Our results show an inhibition of thrombin induced platelet aggregation in the presence of 0.6-20 ug/mL Tithonia diversifolia infusion leaves. The Tithonia diversifolia infusion leaves inhibits thrombin induced washed platelet aggregation.

Indian museum notes.

CONTENTS.--vol. I, no. 1. Notes on Indian insect pests. 1889. no. 2. Notes on Indian economic entomology. 1889. no. 3. Silkworms in India. 1890. no. 4. Notes on Indian economic entomology. 1890.--vol. II, no. 1. Economic entomology. 1891. no. 2. The wild silk insects of India. 1891. no. 3. On white insect wax in India. 1891. no. 4. The locusts of Bengal, Madras, Assam, and Bombay. 1891. no. 5. [Economic entomology, etc.] 1891. no. 6. A conspectus of the insects which affect crops in India. 1893.--vol. III, no. 1-3. [Notes on Indian insect pests, etc.] 1893-94. no. 4. An account of the insects and mites which attack the tea plant in India. 1895. no. 5-6. [Entomological notes] 1894-96.--vol. IV-vol. VI, no. 1. [Notes on Indian insect pests] 1896-1903.

An account of the manufacture of the black tea, as now practised at Suddeya in Upper Assaam, by the Chinamen sent thither for that purpose. With some observations on the culture of the plant in China, and its growth in Assam /

Mode of access: Internet.

Tea consumption and incidence of type 2 diabetes in Europe: the EPIC-InterAct case-cohort study.

BACKGROUND In previous meta-analyses, tea consumption has been associated with lower incidence of type 2 diabetes. It is unclear, however, if tea is associated inversely over the entire range of intake. Therefore, we investigated the association between tea consumption and incidence of type 2 diabetes in a European population. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS The EPIC-InterAct case-cohort study was conducted in 26 centers in 8 European countries and consists of a total of 12,403 incident type 2 diabetes cases and a stratified subcohort of 16,835 individuals from a total cohort of 340,234 participants with 3.99 million person-years of follow-up. Country-specific Hazard Ratios (HR) for incidence of type 2 diabetes were obtained after adjustment for lifestyle and dietary factors using a Cox regression adapted for a case-cohort design. Subsequently, country-specific HR were combined using a random effects meta-analysis. Tea consumption was studied as categorical variable (0, >0-<1, 1-<4, ≥ 4 cups/day). The dose-response of the association was further explored by restricted cubic spline regression. Country specific medians of tea consumption ranged from 0 cups/day in Spain to 4 cups/day in United Kingdom. Tea consumption was associated inversely with incidence of type 2 diabetes; the HR was 0.84 [95%CI 0.71, 1.00] when participants who drank ≥ 4 cups of tea per day were compared with non-drinkers (p(linear trend) = 0.04). Incidence of type 2 diabetes already tended to be lower with tea consumption of 1-<4 cups/day (HR = 0.93 [95%CI 0.81, 1.05]). Spline regression did not suggest a non-linear association (p(non-linearity) = 0.20). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE A linear inverse association was observed between tea consumption and incidence of type 2 diabetes. People who drink at least 4 cups of tea per day may have a 16% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than non-tea drinkers.

Ethyl glucuronide in plant extracts :O16

Introduction: The specificity of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) in hair as marker of alcohol consumption exceeds by far those of fatty acid ethyl esters. False positive cases are therefore very rare but not excluded as recent publications have shown. Especially, the use of plant extracts containing high percentages of ethanol can lead to EtG hair concentrations typically found in cases of chronic alcohol consumption. As proposed by Baumgartner et al., a nucleohilic substitution could most likely explain this phenomenon. Fresh and dried plants as well as commercial hair lotions based on plants extracts have been analysed for EtG presence or EtG formation. Methods: Urtica dioica, Plantago lanceolata, Cortex Quercus, Sempervivum, Armoracia rusticana, Juniperus communis, Brassica alba, Thymian vulgaris, Salvia officinalis, Majorana hortensis, Aloe vera, birch gingko and green tea leafs, ginger, lemon grass were extracted in water, water/ethanol (50/50) and ethanol (100%). The extracts as well as diluted hair lotions were measured by immunological test (Microgenics DRI® EtG assay) and by LC-MS/MS on Shimadzu Nexera UHPLC coupled with an AB Sciex 4500 QTrap. Results: EtG could not be detected in water extracts of all tested plants. However, DRI® EtG assay indicated the presence of EtG in 66% of the tested ethanolic plant extracts. That could only be confirmed by mass spectrometry in the cases of fresh thyme as well as in dried birch, oak and plantain extracts where EtG concentrations between of 0.25 and 2,09 mg/l were measured. In one hair lotion, the EtG concentration was 0,76 mg/l. Conclusion: Ethanolic plant extracts represents a non-negligible risk for false positive EtG hair tests, especially when applied as lotion without following washing out. The use of hair care products must therefore be evaluated at every hair sampling. In case of doubt, the product should be analysed by mass spectrometric methods since the presence of EtG can't be proven by use of the DRI® EtG assay, only. Our results support Baumgartner's assumption of a nucleophilic substitution in presence of ethanol because EtG was only measured in the ethanolic extracts.

White tea (Camellia sinensis) extract reduces oxidative stress and triacylglycerols in obese mice

White tea is an unfermented tea made from young shoots of Camellia sinensis protected from sunlight to avoid polyphenol degradation. Although its levels of catechins are higher than those of green tea (derived from the same plant), there are no studies addressing the relationship between this tea and obesity associated with oxidative stress.The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of white tea on obesity and its complications using a diet induced obesity model. Forty male C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat diet to induce obesity (Obese group) or the same diet supplemented with 0.5% white tea extract (Obese + WTE) for 8 weeks. Adipose tissue, serum lipid profile, and oxidative stress were studied. White tea supplementation was not able to reduce food intake, body weight, or visceral adiposity. Similarly, there were no changes in cholesterol rich lipoprotein profile between the groups. A reduction in blood triacylglycerols associated with increased cecal lipids was observed in the group fed the diet supplemented with white tea. White tea supplementation also reduced oxidative stress in liver and adipose tissue. In conclusion, white tea extract supplementation (0.5%) does not influence body weight or adiposity in obese mice. Its benefits are restricted to the reduction in oxidative stress associated with obesity and improvement of hypertriacylglycerolemia.

Interactions of tea tannins and condensed tannins with proteins

Binding parameters for the interactions of four types of tannins: tea catechins, grape seed proanthocyanidins, mimosa 5-deoxy proanthocyanidins,and sorghum procyanidins (mDP=17), with gelatin and bovine serum albumin (BSA) have been determined from isothermal titration calorimetry data. Equilibrium binding constants determined for the interaction with gelatin were in the range 10(4) to 10(6) M-1 and in the order: sorghum procyanidins > grape seed proanthocyanidins > mimosa 5-deoxy proanthocyanidins > tea catechins. Interaction with BSA was generally weaker, with equilibrium binding constants of <= 10(3) M-1 for grape seed proanthocyanidins, mimosa 5-deoxy proanthocyanidins and tea catechins, and 10(4) M-1 for the sorghum procyanidins. In all cases the interactions with proteins were exothermic and involved multiple binding sites on the protein. The data are discussed in relation to the structures and the known nutritional effects of the condensed tannins.

Evidence that the Ceratobasidium-like white-thread blight and black rot fungal pathogens from persimmon and tea crops in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest agroecosystem are two distinct phylospecies

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Hymenaea stigonocarpa Mart. ex Hayne: A Brazilian medicinal plant with gastric and duodenal anti-ulcer and antidiarrheal effects in experimental rodent models

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Chemical investigation and effects of the tea of Passiflora alata on biochemical parameters in rats

Passiflora alata (Passifloraceae) is a native plant from the South-America tropical forest that provides a much apreciated fruit known as maracuja-doce. Although tea of the leaves of Passiflora alata is used in folk medicine as a sedative and tranquilizer, there are no investigations about its effects on biochemical parameters in blood or from its major chemical composition. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the tea of the leaves of Passiflora alata on biochemical parameters (antioxidant system, glucose and cholesterol levels) and to perform a phytochemical investigation of the tea. We isolated and identified two saponins and five C-glycosylflavones derived from apigenin, luteolin and chrysoeriol. Three of them are new in this species. Passiflora alata extract was administrated orally in rats at dose of 1000 mg/kg and it was observed an increase in high-density lipoprotein level (HDL-cholesterol). (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved.

Effects of tea from Turnera ulmifolia L. on mouse gastric mucosa support the Turneraceae as a new source of antiulcerogenic drugs

Turnera ulmifolia is a plant belonging to the family Turneraceae, popularly known in Brazil as chanana. This species is distributed from Guyana to southern Brazil where it is considered a weed. The plant occurs in tropical rain forest, fields, and gardens. Chanana tea is used in Brazilian folk medicine for the treatment of diseases related mainly to gastric dysfunction including gastric and duodenal ulcers. In this study, the ability of a lyophilized infusion, as an aqueous fraction (AqF) of the aerial parts of T. ulmifolia, was investigated for its ability to prevent ulceration of the gastric and duodenal mucosa was examined in mice and rats, respectively. The AqF significantly reduced the formation of lesions associated with HCl/ethanol administration by 39% and 46%, respectively, at doses of 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg, p.o. The AqF also significantly reduced the incidence of gastric lesions induced by a combination of indomethacin and bethanechol by 58% and 72% at doses of 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg, respectively. In stress-induced gastric ulcer, the inhibition by the AqF was 48%, 57%, and 58% at doses of 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg, and 1000 mg/kg, respectively (p<0.05). A pyloric ligature experiment showed that the highest dose of the AqF significantly affected the gastric juice parameters by increasing the pH from 2.5 (control) to 5.3 and decreasing the acid output from 11.3 (control) to 3.7 mEq/ml/4 h. The AqF had no significant effect on duodenal ulcers induced by cysteamine. Preliminary phytochemical screening confirmed that flavonoids were the major constituents of the AqF of T. ulmifolia. These results indicate that this extract has a significant antiulcerogenic effect, as popularly believed.

Terpinen-4-ol and alpha-terpineol (tea tree oil components) inhibit the production of IL-1 beta, IL-6 and IL-10 on human macrophages

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate and cranberry proanthocyanidins act in synergy with cathelicidin (LL-37) to reduce the LPS-induced inflammatory response in a three-dimensional co-culture model of gingival epithelial cells and fibroblasts

Objectives: The human antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin (LL-37) possesses anti-inflammatory properties that may contribute to attenuating the inflammatory process associated with chronic periodontitis. Plant polyphenols, including those from cranberry and green tea, have been reported to reduce inflammatory cytokine secretion by host cells. In the present study, we hypothesized that A-type cranberry proanthocyanidins (AC-PACs) and green tea epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) act in synergy with LL-37 to reduce the secretion of inflammatory mediators by oral mucosal cells. Methods: A three-dimensional (3D) co-culture model of gingival epithelial cells and fibroblasts treated with non-cytotoxic concentrations of AC-PACs (25 and 50 mg/ml), EGCG (1 and 5 mg/ml), and LL-37 (0.1 and 0.2 mM) individually and in combination (AC-PACs + LL-37 and EGCG + LL-37) were stimulated with Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Multiplex ELISA assays were used to quantify the secretion of 54 host factors, including chemokines, cytokines, growth factors, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Results: LL-37, AC-PACs, and EGCG, individually or in combination, had no effect on the regulation of MMP and TIMP secretion but inhibited the secretion of several cytokines. ACPACs and LL-37 acted in synergy to reduce the secretion of CXC-chemokine ligand 1 (GRO-a), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and had an additive effect on reducing the secretion of interleukin-8 (IL-8), interferon-g inducible protein 10 (IP-10), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in response to LPS stimulation. EGCG and LL-37 acted in synergy to reduce the secretion of GRO-a, G-CSF, IL-6, IL-8, and IP-10, and had an additive effect on MCP-1 secretion. Conclusion: The combination of LL-37 and natural polyphenols from cranberry and green tea acted in synergy to reduce the secretion of several cytokines by an LPS-stimulated 3D coculture model of oral mucosal cells. Such combinations show promising results as potential adjunctive therapies for treating inflammatory periodontitis.