Potent suppressive activity of pheophytin a and b from the non-polyphenolic fraction of green tea (Camellia sinensis) against tumor promotion in mouse skin.

Chlorophyll-related compounds pheophytin a and b have been recently identified as antigenotoxic substances in the non-polyphenolic fraction of green tea (Camellia sinensis), which suppressed umu C gene expression in tester bacteria induced by various genotoxins (Okai and Higashi-Okai, Cancer Lett. 118 (1997) 117-123). In the present study, the authors analyzed in vivo and in vitro effects of pheophytin a and b from the non-polyphenolic fraction of green tea on tumor promotion in mouse skin as follows. (1) When pheophytin a and b from green tea were topically applied prior to each treatment with a tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) on BALB/c mouse skin initiated by 7,12 dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), they caused suppression in a dose-dependent fashion against skin tumorigenesis. (2) Pheophytin a and b exhibited significant suppressions against TPA-induced inflammatory reaction, such as edema formation, in BALB/c mouse ear skin in a dose-dependent manner. (3) Pheophytin a and b from green tea showed inhibitory effects against early induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) in BALB/c mouse skin fibroblasts caused by TPA. These results suggest that pheophytin a and b from the non-polyphenolic fraction have potent suppressive activities against tumor promotion in mouse skin.