MIRACLE ON THE GREEN FUNCTION TEA CATECHINS CARDIOVASCULAR

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is the cause of mortality and morbidity are quite high. Based on data from the WHO estimated 3.8 million men and 3.4 million women worldwide each year die of CHD. Atherosclerosis is a major contributor to the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death (World Health Organization, 2003). One of the natural material that has potential as an antioxidant and can be used as a functional food for Nonpharmacologic management in patients with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) is a catechin isolated from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis).

Tea is a beverage produced by steeping the leaves of Camellia sinensis, which generally grows in tropical areas with an altitude between 200-2000 meters above sea level with temperatures between 14-25 degrees Celsius weather. In general, drink tea as an ingredient classified in three categories, namely fermented tea or black tea (black tea), teas are not fermented or green tea (green tea), and half-fermented tea or oolong tea (oolong tea). (Chacko et al, I). Brewing process and the proper processing of green tea is very influential on his usefulness.
Tea catechins undergo many changes such as oxidation and epimerisasi chemicals during processing and brewing. When seen from the structure, catechins are flavonoids with many hydroxy groups, it is forecast hydroxy group on ring B of the structure of this molecule would be a major factor leading to instability of catechins against oxidation. Oxidation events are influenced by oxygen, pH, light and the presence of antioxidants (Connors, 1992). Each of catechins are also experiencing epimerisasi epistruktur structure becomes nonepistruktur. Green tea is brewed with pure water at a temperature of 800 C terepimerisasi, tap water, epimerisasi occurs at a temperature of 400 C. Tea catechins is stable in water at room temperature. Catechin degraded by 20% when heated at 980C for 20 minutes. When heated in an autoclave at a temperature of 1200C, there epimerisasi of (-) - EGCG to (-)-catechin GCG and degraded by 24%. Furthermore, catechin degraded up to 50% when heating lasted for 2 hours. Brewing epistruktur compounds such as lead content of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin (EC), and epicatechin error (ECG) to be down. Meanwhile, the catechin content of non epistruktur like galokatekin (GC), catechin (C), galokatekin error (GCG) and catechin error (CG) to be increased. Although the content of total catechins did not decrease the quantity but in quality with the occurrence of these potential health epimerisasi be reduced. (Dadan Rohdiana, 2008).
Several mechanisms of vascular protection of the catechins are as follows:
(1) Catechins capture free radicals and inhibit the enzyme prooksidan that can cause inhibition of ROS due to oxidative stress and LDL oxidation. (2) Catechins enhance intestinal lipid excretion, inhibit cholesterol synthesis and absorption, FFA and triglycerides. (3) catechins stimulate the production of NO, prostacyclin and endothelial cAMP. (4) Catechins prevent the adhesion of monocytes to the endothelium and migration transendotelial with inhibition of NF-kB, cytokines and adhesion molecules. (5) catechins inhibit cyclins, PDGF, TOD, JNK1, c-jun and MMPs. (6) agragasi Catechins reduce platelet activity and reduction of intra-cellular Ca mobility, release of PAF and arachidonic acid and thromboxane A2 synthase. (Velayutam P et al, 2008). Function - the function is a very important role on the inhibition of atherosclerosis.
Meanwhile, based on epidemiological studies reported that the results of studies in Japan by the number of 18 subjects showed a decline in weight, BMI, waist circumference, the body fat and subcutaneous fat are significant compared with controls by consuming tea per day containing 690 mg catechins for 12 weeks . Also decreased and malondialdehyde-modified LDL. Based on this study concluded consumption of catechins useful for preventing and repairing the illnesses caused by lifestyle, including obesity. . (Nagao T, 2005). Other epidemiological studies with a prospective cohort study on 40,530 Japanese adults, consumption of five or more cups of green tea per day is significant decrease mortality from all cases about 16% compared to subjects who consumed less than 1 cup of cardiovascular disease and about 26%. (Wolfram, 2007). Intervention study showed 674 mg of tea catechins on the subject of postprandial hypertriglyceridemia may lower triglyceride levels between 15.1% to 28.7%. (Wolfram, 2007). As for research on animal Sprague Dawley rats with a high fat diet green tea consumption for 2 weeks can reduce body fat accumulation. (JJ Choo, 2003). From the above research data to demonstrate the worth of green tea as a "miracle tree" due to a myriad of benefits / usefulness for health so that it can be used as recommendations to the public in the use of catechins (green tea) in reducing the risk of diseases caused by atherosclerosis.
(Erna Susanti, S. Si, Apt., Compiled from various sources).