Green tea is a beverage consumed around the world that is believed to have substantial health benefits such as reducing the risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and neurodegeneration. This beverage is prepared from the leaves (steamed and dried) of the Camellia sinensis plant and contains strong antioxidant and neuroprotective phenolic compounds from which the most important is (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, characterized by bradykinesia, rigidity with cogwheeling, rest tremor, and postural instability. The clinical manifestations of this pathology include a broad spectrum of symptoms of psychomotor impairment such as gait disturbance, slowness, tremors, and an increased propensity to falling. The prevalence of Parkinson's disease worldwide is known to range from 0.5 percent to 4 percent among the elderly aged 65 years or older.
Oxidative stress is implicated in PD and it has been found that polyphenols present in green tea catechins have the ability to modulate cell health status by inducing detoxification in response to free radical stress.
Green tea contains polyphenols, which have been found to block the backflow of dopamine and allow it to travel from one area of the brain to another. Therefore, green tea can help to ease movements and prevent the tremors associated with Parkinson's.
Catechin polyphenols can act as antioxidants by scavenging free radicals and chelating excess metal ions. They may also indirectly reduce oxidative stress, inhibiting redox-sensitive transcription factors, nuclear factor-κB, and pro-oxidant enzymes, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase, and inducing phase II antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione S-transferases and SOD.
(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant polyphenol in green tea that can bind iron. It has been shown to have antioxidant effects in vitro by trapping peroxyl radicals, inhibiting lipid peroxidation, and contributing to the neuroprotective effect in several PD cell models.
Green tea polyphenols prevent Parkinson's disease
