The DOI matches its Crossref record; 56 of the 56 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Neuroprotective Effects of the Green Tea Components Theanine and Catechins
Open accessAbstract
The neuroprotective effects of theanine and catechins contained in green tea are discussed. Although the death of cultured rat cortical neurons was induced by the application of glutamic acid, this neuronal death was suppressed with exposure to theanine. The death of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons caused by transient forebrain ischemia in the gerbil was inhibited with the ventricular preadministration of theanine. The neuronal death of the hippocampal CA3 region by kainate was also prevented by the administration of theanine. Theanine has a higher binding capacity for the AMPA/kainate receptors than for NMDA receptors, although the binding capacity in all cases is markedly less than that of glutamic acid. The results of the present study suggest that the mechanism of the neuroprotective effect of theanine is related not only to the glutamate receptor but also to other mechanisms such as the glutamate transporter, although further studies are needed. One of the onset mechanisms for arteriosclerosis, a major factor in ischemic cerebrovascular disease, is probably the oxidative alteration of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by active oxygen species. The oxidative alterations of LDL were shown to be prevented by tea catechins. Scavenging of *O(2)(-) was also exhibited by tea catechins. The neuroprotective effects of theanine and catechins contained in green tea are a focus of considerable attention, and further studies are warranted.
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“Structurally theanine is similar to the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate which binds to glutamate receptors with weak interaction in the micromolar range, including the a-amino-3hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid and kainate receptors, and to a lesser extent, the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor [15][16][17][18].”
From l -theanine: A potential multifaceted natural bioactive amide as health supplement (2017) · cites this paper as [17]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Kakuda, T.
- Affiliations
- Central Research Institute (IN)
- Corresponding author
- Kakuda, Takami
- Venue
- Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin
- Publisher
- Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
- Published
- 2002
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1513-1518
- ISSN
- 0918-6158 (ISSN-L)
- 1347-5215
- OpenAlex
- W2085517462
- Cited by
- 165
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 0.66
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Tea Polyphenols and Effects
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Medicinal Plants and Neuroprotection
- Keywords
- theanine, tea catechins, green tea, neuroprotection, glutamate excitotoxicity, transient forebrain ischemia, NMDA receptor, glutamate transporters, superoxide radical scavenging, arteriosclerosis, ischemic cerebrovascular disease
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Catechin, Cell Survival, Glutamates, Humans, Tea, Cell Death, Neuroprotective Agents
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