In vivo and in vitro effects of tea extracts on enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli-induced intestinal fluid loss in animal models.

Objectives: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) infection is a major cause of dehydrating diarrhoea in infants and early-weaned piglets living under subhygienic conditions. We studied the effect of different tea types and subfractions on the intestinal fluid and electrolyte losses involved in ETEC diarrhoea.

Materials And Methods: Jejunal segments of anaesthetised piglets were infected with ETEC or ETEC heat-labile toxin (LT) and subsequently perfused for 8 hours with control or tea solutions containing green or black tea extract (BTE) or 3 different BTE subfractions containing small-size, large-size or no phenolics.

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic based studies of the metabolism of black tea polyphenols in humans.

Epidemiological studies indicate that a high intake of flavonoids is associated with an improved health status. Tea is one of the most abundant sources of flavonoids in the human diet. The bioavailability and biotransformation of tea flavonoids are, however, not clearly understood.

Consumption of both black tea and green tea results in an increase in the excretion of hippuric acid into urine.

Background: A major portion of the catechins in green tea is not absorbed in the small intestine. Bacteria in the colon convert nonabsorbed catechins into simpler phenolic compounds, which may also be absorbed. During the production of black tea, most catechins are polymerized to complex molecules called thearubigins.

Chlorogenic acid, quercetin-3-rutinoside and black tea phenols are extensively metabolized in humans.

Dietary phenols are antioxidants, and their consumption might contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Coffee and tea are major dietary sources of phenols. Dietary phenols are metabolized extensively in the body.

Plasma concentrations of individual tea catechins after a single oral dose in humans.

1. Ten healthy volunteers ingested 1.5 mmole epicatechin gallate (ECg), epigallocatechin (EGC) or epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) in a randomized crossover design.