Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Green and black tea are equally potent stimuli of NO production and vasodilation: new insights into tea ingredients involved

  • ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION
  • Published:
Basic Research in Cardiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Epidemiological studies suggest that consumption of tea is associated with beneficial cardiovascular effects. Since different types of tea are consumed throughout the world, a question of much interest is whether green tea is superior to black tea in terms of cardiovascular protection. We therefore compared the effects of green and black tea on nitric oxide (NO) production and vasodilation and elucidated the tea compounds involved. We chose a highly fermented black tea and determined concentrations of individual tea compounds in both green and black tea of the same type (Assam). The fermented black tea was almost devoid of catechins. However, both teas stimulated eNOS activity and phosphorylation in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) as well as vasorelaxation in rat aortic rings to a similar extent. In green tea, only epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) resulted in pronounced NO production and NO-dependent vasorelaxation in aortic rings. During tea processing to produce black tea, the catechins are converted to theaflavins and thearubigins. Individual black tea theaflavins showed a higher potency than EGCG in NO production and vasorelaxation. The thearubigins in black tea are highly efficient stimulators of vasodilation and NO production. Green and black tea compounds induced comparable phosphorylation of eNOS and upstream signalling kinases. Whereas stimulation of eNOS activity by EGCG was only slightly affected by pretreatment of cells with various ROS scavengers, TF3(theaflavin-3′,3-digallate)-induced eNOS activity was partially inhibited by PEG-catalase. These results implicate that highly fermented black tea is equally potent as green tea in promoting beneficial endothelial effects. Theaflavins and thearubigins predominantly counterbalance the lack of catechins in black tea. The findings may underline the contribution of black tea consumption in prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Anter E, Thomas SR, Schulz E, Shapira OM, Vita JA, Keaney JF Jr (2004) Activation of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase by the p38 MAPK in response to black tea polyphenols. J Biol Chem 279:46637–46643

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Balentine DA, Wiseman SA, Bouwens LC (1997) The chemistry of tea flavonoids. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 37:693–704

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Beecher GR (2003) Overview of dietary flavonoids: nomenclature, occurrence and intake. J Nutr 133:3248S–3254S

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Collins QF, Liu HY, Pi J, Liu Z, Quon MJ, Cao W (2007) Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a green tea polyphenol, suppresses hepatic gluconeogenesis through 5 ′ -AMP-activated protein kinase. J Biol Chem 282:30143–30149

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Determination of substances characteristic of green and black tea. (2005) Part 2: content of catechins in green tea. Method using high-performance liquid chromatography. International Standard ISO 14502-2:2005

  6. Dreger H, Lorenz M, Kehrer A, Baumann G, Stangl K, Stangl V (2008) Characteristics of catechin- and theaflavin-mediated cardioprotection. Exp Biol Med 233:427–433

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Duffy SJ, Keaney JF Jr, Holbrook M, Gokce N, Swerdloff PL, Frei B, Vita JA (2001) Short- and long term black tea consumption reverses endothelial dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease. Circulation 104:151–156

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Geleijnse JM, Launer LJ, Hofman A, Pols HA, Witteman JC (1999) Tea flavonoids may protect against atherosclerosis: the Rotterdam Study. Arch Intern Med 159:2170–2174

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Graham HN (1992) Green tea composition, consumption, and polyphenol chemistry. Prev Med 21:334–350

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Haslam E (2003) Thoughts on thearubigins. Phytochemistry 64:61–73

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Hertog MG, Feskens EJ, Hollman PC, Katan MB, Kromhout D (1993) Dietary antioxidant flavonoids and risk of coronary heart disease: the Zutphen Elderly Study. Lancet 342:1007–1011

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Hertog MG, Sweetnam PM, Fehily AM, Elwood PC, Kromhout D (1997) Antioxidant flavonols and ischemic heart disease in a Welsh population of men: the Caerphilly Study. Am J Clin Nutr 65:1489–1494

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Hodgson JM, Puddey IB, Burke V, Watts GF, Beilin LJ (2002) Regular ingestion of black tea improves brachial artery vasodilator function. Clin Sci (Lond) 102:195–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Huang Y, Zhang A, Lau CW, Chen ZY (1998) Vasorelaxant effects of purified green tea epicatechin derivatives in rat mesenteric artery. Life Sci 63:275–283

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Jochmann N, Lorenz M, Krosigk AV, Martus P, Böhm V, Baumann G, Stangl K, Stangl V (2008) The efficacy of black tea in ameliorating endothelial function is equivalent to that of green tea. Br J Nutr 99:863–868

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Kim JA, Formoso G, Li Y, Potenza MA, Marasciulo FL, Montagnani M, Quon MJ (2007) Epigallocatechin gallate, a green tea polyphenol, mediates NO-dependent vasodilation using signalling pathways in vascular endothelium requiring reactive oxygen species and Fyn. J Biol Chem 282:13736–13745

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kuriyama S, Shimazu T, Ohmori K, Kikuchi N, Nakaya N, Nishino Y, Tsubono Y, Tsuji I (2006) Green tea consumption and mortality due to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all causes in Japan: the Ohsaki Study. JAMA 296:1255–1265

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Lakenbrink C, Lapczynski S, Maiwald B, Engelhardt UH (2000) Flavonoids and other polyphenols in consumer brews of tea and other caffeinated beverages. J Agric Food Chem 48:2848–2852

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Leung LK, Su Y, Chen R, Zhang Z, Huang Y, Chen ZY (2001) Theaflavins in black tea and catechins in green tea are equally effective antioxidants. J Nutr 131:2248–2251

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Liang YC, Chen YC, Lin YL, Lin-Shiau SY, Ho CT, Lin JK (1999) Suppression of extracellular signals and cell proliferation by the black tea polyphenol, theaflavin-3,3′-digallate. Carcinogenesis 20:733–736

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Lorenz M, Jochmann N, von Krosigk A, Martus P, Baumann G, Stangl K, Stangl V (2007) Addition of milk prevents vascular protective effects of tea. Eur Heart J 28:219–223

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Lorenz M, Wessler S, Follmann E, Michaelis W, Dusterhoft T, Baumann G, Stangl K, Stangl V (2004) A constituent of green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, activates endothelial nitric oxide synthase by a phosphatidylinositol-3-OH-kinase-, cAMP-dependent protein kinase-, and Akt dependent pathway and leads to endothelial-dependent vasorelaxation. J Biol Chem 279:6190–6195

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Manach C, Mazur A, Scalbert A (2005) Polyphenols and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Curr Opin Lipidol 16:77–84

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. McNeill JR, Jurgens TM (2006) A systematic review of mechanisms by which natural products of plant origin evoke vasodilatation. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 84:803–821

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Menet MC, Sang S, Yang CS, Ho CT, Rosen RT (2004) Analysis of theaflavins and thearubigins from black tea extract by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. J Agric Food Chem 52:2455–2461

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Miller NJ, Castelluccio C, Tijburg L, Rice-Evans C (1996) The antioxidant properties of theaflavins and their gallate esters—radical scavengers or metal chelators? FEBS Lett 392:40–44

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Mukamal KJ, Maclure M, Muller JE, Sherwood JB, Mittleman MA (2002) Tea consumption and mortality after acute myocardial infarction. Circulation 105:2476–2481

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Nakachi K, Matsuyama S, Miyake S, Suganuma M, Imai K (2000) Preventive effects of drinking green tea on cancer and cardiovascular disease: epidemiological evidence for multiple targeting prevention. Biofactors 13:49–54

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Napoli C, de Nigris F, Williams-Ignarro S, Pignalosa O, Sica V, Ignarro LJ (2006) Nitric oxide and atherosclerosis: an update. Nitric Oxide 15:265–279.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Peters U, Poole C, Arab L (2001) Does tea affect cardiovascular disease? A meta analysis. Am J Epidemiol 154:495–503

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Riemersma RA, Rice-Evans CA, Tyrrell RM, Clifford MN, Lean ME (2001) Tea flavonoids and cardiovascular health. Q J Med 94:277–282

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Sano J, Inami S, Seimiya K, Ohba T, Sakai S, Takano T, Mizuno K (2004) Effects of green tea intake on the development of coronary artery disease. Circ J 68:665–670

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Sasazuki S, Kodama H, Yoshimasu K, Liu Y, Washio M, Tanaka K, Tokunaga S, Kono S, Arai H, Doi Y, Kawano T, Nakagaki O, Takada K, Koyanagi S, Hiyamuta K, Nii T, Shirai K, Ideishi M, Arakawa K, Mohri M, Takeshita A (2000) Relation between green tea consumption and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis among Japanese men and women. Ann Epidemiol 10:401–408

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Sato Y, Nakatsuka H, Watanabe T, Hisamichi S, Shimizu H, Fujisaku S, Ichinowatari Y, Ida Y, Suda S, Kato K, Ikeda M (1989) Possible contribution of green tea drinking habits to the prevention of stroke. Tohoku J Exp Med 157:337–343.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Stangl V, Dreger H, Stangl K, Lorenz M (2007) Molecular targets of tea polyphenols in the cardiovascular system. Cardiovasc Res 73:348–358

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Stensvold I, Tverdal A, Solvoll K, Foss OP (1992) Tea consumption: relationship to cholesterol, blood pressure, and coronary and total mortality. Prev Med 21:546–553

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Subramanian N, Venkatesh P, Ganguli S, Sinkar VP (1999) Role of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase in the generation of black tea theaflavins. J Agric Food Chem 47:2571–2588

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Sumpio BE, Cordova AC, Berke-Schlessel DW, Qin F, Chen QH (2006) Green tea, the “Asian paradox,” and cardiovascular disease. J Am Coll Surg 202:813–825

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Tanner FC, van der Loo B, Shaw S, Greutert H, Bachschmid MM, Berrozpe M, Rozenberg I, Blau N, Siebenmann R, Schmidli J, Meyer P, Lüscher TF (2007) Inactivity of nitric oxide synthase gene in the atherosclerotic human carotid artery. Basic Res Cardiol 102:308–317

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Ullmann U, Haller J, Decourt JD, Girault J, Spitzer V, Weber P (2004) Plasma kinetic characteristics of purified and isolated green tea catechin epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) after 10 days repeated dosing in healthy volunteers. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 74:269–278

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Vinson JA, Teufel K, Wu N (2004) Green and black teas inhibit atherosclerosis by lipid, antioxidant, and fibrinolytic mechanisms. J Agric Food Chem 52:3661–3665

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Widlansky ME, Hamburg NM, Anter E, Holbrook M, Kahn DF, Elliott JG, Keaney JF Jr, Vita JA (2007) Acute EGCG supplementation reverses endothelial dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease. J Am Coll Nutr 26:95–102

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Woodward M, Tunstall-Pedoe H (1999) Coffee and tea consumption in the Scottish Heart Health Study follow up: conflicting relations with coronary risk factors, coronary disease, and all cause mortality. J Epidemiol Community Health 53:481–487

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Yang CS, Chen L, Lee MJ, Balentine D, Kuo MC, Schantz SP (1998) Blood and urine levels of tea catechins after ingestion of different amounts of green tea by human volunteers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 7:351–354

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Angelika Vietzke, Thomas Düsterhöft, and Wanda Michaelis for their excellent technical assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Kardiologie und Angiologie Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, CCM, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany

    Mario Lorenz, Janka Urban, Gert Baumann, Karl Stangl & Verena Stangl MD

  2. Institut für Lebensmittelchemie, Technische Universität Carolo-Wilhelmina, Braunschweig, Germany

    Ulrich Engelhardt

Authors
  1. Mario Lorenz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Janka Urban
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ulrich Engelhardt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gert Baumann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Karl Stangl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Verena Stangl MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Verena Stangl MD.

Additional information

Returned for 1. Revision: 7 January 2008 1. Revision received: 3 July 2008 Returned for 2. Revision: 1 August 2008 2. Revision received: 13 August 2008 Returned for 3. Revision: 26 September 2008 3. Revision received: 13 October 2008

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lorenz, M., Urban, J., Engelhardt, U. et al. Green and black tea are equally potent stimuli of NO production and vasodilation: new insights into tea ingredients involved. Basic Res Cardiol 104, 100–110 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00395-008-0759-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00395-008-0759-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation