Adcocks Clair, Collin Peter, Buttle David J
Division of Genomic Medicine, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK.
J Nutr. 2002 Mar;132(3):341-6. doi: 10.1093/jn/132.3.341.
Polyphenolic compounds from green tea have been shown to reduce inflammation in a murine model of inflammatory arthritis, but no studies have been undertaken to investigate whether these compounds are protective to joint tissues. We therefore investigated the effects of catechins found in green tea on cartilage extracellular matrix components using in vitro model systems. Bovine nasal and metacarpophalangeal cartilage as well as human nondiseased, osteoarthritic and rheumatoid cartilage were cultured with and without reagents known to accelerate cartilage matrix breakdown. Individual catechins were added to the cultures and the amount of released proteoglycan and type II collagen was measured by metachromatic assay and inhibition ELISA, respectively. Possible nonspecific or toxic effects of the catechins were assessed by lactate output and proteoglycan synthesis. Catechins, particularly those containing a gallate ester, were effective at micromolar concentrations at inhibiting proteoglycan and type II collagen breakdown. No toxic effects of the catechins were evident. We conclude that some green tea catechins are chondroprotective and that consumption of green tea may be prophylactic for arthritis and may benefit the arthritis patient by reducing inflammation and slowing cartilage breakdown. Further studies will be required to determine whether these compounds access the joint space in sufficient concentration and in a form capable of providing efficacy in vivo.
绿茶中的多酚类化合物已被证明在炎性关节炎的小鼠模型中可减轻炎症，但尚未开展研究来调查这些化合物是否对关节组织具有保护作用。因此，我们使用体外模型系统研究了绿茶中儿茶素对软骨细胞外基质成分的影响。将牛鼻软骨和掌指关节软骨以及人类正常、骨关节炎和类风湿性关节炎软骨在添加和不添加已知可加速软骨基质分解的试剂的情况下进行培养。将单个儿茶素添加到培养物中，分别通过比色法和抑制ELISA法测量释放的蛋白聚糖和II型胶原蛋白的量。通过乳酸产量和蛋白聚糖合成评估儿茶素可能的非特异性或毒性作用。儿茶素，尤其是那些含有没食子酸酯的儿茶素，在微摩尔浓度下可有效抑制蛋白聚糖和II型胶原蛋白的分解。儿茶素没有明显的毒性作用。我们得出结论，一些绿茶儿茶素具有软骨保护作用，饮用绿茶可能对关节炎具有预防作用，并且可能通过减轻炎症和减缓软骨分解而使关节炎患者受益。需要进一步研究以确定这些化合物是否能够以足够的浓度进入关节腔并以能够在体内发挥功效的形式存在。
