rooibos tea may prevent cancer

From: Doug Skrecky (oberon@vcn.bc.ca)
Date: Sun Sep 20 1998 - 01:35:17 MDT


<1 of 2>
Authors
  Komatsu K. Kator K. Mitsuda Y. Mine M. Okumura Y.
Institution
  Department of Radiation Biophysics, Nagasaki University School of Medicine,
  Japan.
Title
  Inhibitory effects of Rooibos tea, Aspalathus linealis, on
  X-ray-induced C3H10T1/2 cell transformation.
Source
  Cancer Letters. 77(1):33-8, 1994 Feb 28.
Abstract
  Oncogenic transformation of mouse C3H10T1/2 cells induced by X-rays was
  suppressed in the presence of extract of Rooibos tea,
  Aspalathus linealis. Transformation was reduced with increased concentration
  of the extract, so that at an extract concentration of 10%, transformation
  incidence was similar to the spontaneous level. Suppression was also
  dependent on treatment time with the extract and was maximal when present
  during the entire incubation period. In contrast, green tea extract at an
  equitoxic concentration showed no detectable effect on transformation
  incidence.

<2>
Unique Identifier
  93211427
Authors
  Sasaki YF. Yamada H. Shimoi K. Kator K. Kinae N.
Institution
  Laboratory of Food Hygiene, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences,
  University of Shizuoka, Japan.
Title
  The clastogen-suppressing effects of green tea, Po-lei tea and
  Rooibos tea in CHO cells and mice.
Source
  Mutation Research. 286(2):221-32, 1993 Apr.
Abstract
  The suppressing effects of crude extracts of three kinds of tea-green tea
  (GT) from Japan, Po-lei tea (PT) from China, and Rooibos tea
  (RT) from South Africa-on the induction of chromosome aberrations in cultured
  CHO cells and mice were studied. When CHO cells were exposed to each tea
  extract in the presence of rat liver microsomal enzymes (S9 mix) together
  with benzo[a]pyrene (B(a)P) or mitomycin C (MMC), a decrease in the frequency
  of chromosome aberrations was observed. PT and RT, but not GT, also
  suppressed the induction of chromosome aberrations by MMC in the absence of
  S9 mix. When cells were treated with tea extract after B(a)P or MMC
  treatment, RT suppressed the induction of chromosome aberrations in the
  presence and absence of S9 mix whereas GT and PT showed suppressing effects
  only in the presence of S9 mix. These data suggest that catechines,
  well-known antimutagens in tea samples, might account for the inhibitory
  effect in the case of GT and PT. Since RT contains few catechines, several
  unknown antimutagenic components could be responsible for its effect. The
  antimutagenic effects of tea extracts at concentration levels consumed by
  humans were examined in mice using micronucleus induction with B(a)P or MMC.
  When mice received oral gavage of 0.2% GT, 0.1% PT, and 0.1% RT at 1.0
  ml/mouse 6 h before intraperitoneal injection of MMC, a decrease in the
  frequency of micronuclei was observed. The induction of micronuclei by B(a)P
  was suppressed by oral dosage of GT, PT and RT at 1.0 ml/mouse/day for 28
  days. This was not due to a delay in the maturation of micronucleated
  reticulocytes. In conclusion, intake of tea might suppress the mutagenic
  activity of certain potent mutagens in human beings.



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