BLACK TEA THEAFLAVINS INDUCE PROGRAMMED CELL-DEATH IN CULTURED HUMAN STOMACH-CANCER CELLS

The exposure of human stomach cancer KATO III cells to black tea theaf lavin extract, free theaflavin, and theaflavin digallate that are main components of the extract, led to both growth inhibition and the indu ction of programmed cell death (apoptosis). Morphological changes show ing apoptotic bodies were observed in the cells treated with black tea theaflavin extract, theaflavin and theaflavin digallate. The fragment ations by these theaflavin compounds of DNA to oligonucleosomal-sized fragments that are characteristics of apoptosis were observed to be co ncentration- and time-dependent. These data suggest that drinking of b lack tea in large amounts is recommended to protect humans from stomac h cancer.