Theanine      

Green tea extract stimulates nerve cells in Russian study

Date: 9th December 2008, Source: Althealth News

Scientists at Kuban State University in Russia found that spinal nerves exposed to green tea extract showed marked growth and activity in laboratory studies. If green tea extract could be shown to regenerate nerves in the human body, this could develop into a treatment for Parkinson’s disease and other nerve disorders, say researchers

In search of vegetable preparations for nervous system diseases prophylaxis and treatment Russian researchers have turned to green tea.
Specialists of the Kuban State University, the Kuban Research-and-Production Laboratory of Physiologically Active Substances and the Institute of Brain (Russian Academy of Medical Sciences) have discovered that ethanolic extract of green tea stimulates spinal cord neurons' regeneration.
Dry extract in different concentrations was added to the medium.
The length and number of processes account for the 'quality of communication' between neurons and ultimately the ability of the nervous system section to fulfill its functions.
The ability to restore bonds is the rate of cells' resistance to neurodegenerative diseases, for example, ischemia or Parkinson's disease.
The green tea extract had the most apparent stimulatory action in concentration of 0.004-0.006 percent.
On the second day of cultivation, the number of cell processes started to grow as compared to the background ones, and then the length of cell processes began to increase.
Apparently, healing power of green tea is caused by high antioxidant content - flavonoids, polyphenols, as well as theanine and vitamins.
Results of the investigation carried out by the Krasnodar scientists, who were the first to demonstrate the stimulatory action of green tea extract on nerve cells' regeneration have been contributed by findings of researchers from other countries.
It is known that theanine injection into ventricles of brain of Mongolian Gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) prevents destruction of brain neurons in case of ischemia.
Green tea belongs to the group of food substances that avert the nitric oxide abundant synthesis, which can be the cause of neurodegenerative diseases.
Of undoubted interest are the recent investigations by foreign researchers that showed anticarcinogenic effect of tea polyphenols.