Effect of Black Tea Consumption on Intracellular Cytokines, Regulatory T Cells and Metabolic Biomarkers in Type 2 Diabetes Patients

Targeting ERS-mitophagy in hippocampal neurons to explore the improvement of memory by tea polyphenols in aged type 2 diabetic rats

Increasing evidence demonstrated that mitophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) was closely associated with memory decline in elderly type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Tea polyphenols (TP), an excellent natural antioxidant, has been reported to have neuroprotective properties in aging and diabetes, but the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. This study targets ERS-mitophagy in hippocampal neurons to investigate the improvement effect of memory in aged T2DM rats by TP. Rats were randomly divided into the control group, the aged group, the aged T2DM model group, the TP 75, 150, 300 mg/kg groups. TP 300 mg/kg ameliorated mitophagy by decreasing the levels of p-mTOR (S2448), P62 and HSP60 and increasing the levels of PINK1 and Parkin, the ratio of LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ, co-localization of LC3 and HSP60 and the number of autophagosomes and autolysosomes. TP 300 mg/kg attenuated ERS by downregulating the levels of p-PERK, p-eIF2α, ATF4, GRP78 and restoring the ER structure. To further verify epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is the main active component of TP, enhanced mitophagy by inhibiting ERS, PC12 cells were pretreated with ERS activator tunicamycin (TM) or ERS inhibitor 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA). The results showed that the improvement of mitophagy by EGCG was inhibited by TM and promoted by 4-PBA. Collectively, ERS-mitophagy in hippocampal neurons plays a key role in the improvement of memory by TP in aged T2DM rats. This study will provide a new perspective and strategy for the prevention of memory decline in elderly with T2DM.

Lymphocyte Expression of Intracellular Cytokines and Heat Shock Proteins in Peripheral Blood of Patients with Atopic Dermatitis

INTRODUCTION

The present study evaluates expression by activated CD4+ T helper1 (Th1) and T helper 2 (Th2) T lymphocytes of pro-inflammatory cytokines and cytoprotective heat shock proteins (HSPs) in peripheral blood of atopic dermatitis (AD) patients.

METHODS

This research represents preliminary work by the authors to identify correlates between critical immune parameters with the potential to serve as guidelines for the development of pharmacological strategies for altering these factors to promote the restoration of healthy immune profiles in persons afflicted with major atopic diseases. The major experimental strategy used in this research assessed immune activation by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 21 AD patients and 12 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects cultured with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and ionomycin (PMA/I), which are mutagenic immune activators, to induce expression of pro-inflammatory biomarkers in CD4+ T cells differentiated to express Th1 or Th2 cytokines and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) intracellularly (i). Evaluations were performed using an FC500 Beckman-Coulter flow cytometer. Elevated CD4+ T cell expression of cytokines, interleukin-4 (iIL-4), interleukin- 5 (iIL-5), interleukin-10 (iIL-10), interferon-gamma (iIFN-g), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (iTNF-α), were observed.

RESULTS

Additionally, the heat shock proteins (HSP) iHO-1 and iHSP-70 were evaluated in cells from the blood of AD patients versus the control subjects. The present study demonstrated an elevated expression of both Th1 and Th2-associated cytokines in CD4+ T cells of AD patients, with a significant direct correlation between Th1 and Th2 cell populations, thus yielding insight into the immune features of the AD-associated systemic inflammatory profile.

CONCLUSION

Finally, the observed increased iHO-1 and iHSP-70 expressions likely represent adaptive physiologic countermeasures to AD-associated inflammatory tissue damage, suggesting that HSP inducers are promising candidates for the management of atopic disorders.

Effects of Camellia tea and herbal tea on cardiometabolic risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Evidence for the anti-diabetic actions of camellia and herbal tea in diabetic patients has not been summarized. Several data sources were searched for randomized trials assessing the effect of different teas on cardiometabolic risk factors in T2D subjects. Two independent reviewers extracted relevant data and assessed the risk of bias. Results were summarized using mean differences (MDs) based on a random model. Sixteen studies (19 trials, N = 832) fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Mean differences were measured for body weight, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, a homeostatic model for insulin resistance, high and low-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. No effects on total cholesterol and waist circumference were observed when either camellia or herbal tea was consumed. Tea produced moderate regulatory effects on adipose, glycemic control, lipid profiles, and blood pressure. In terms of efficacy, camellia and herbal teas yield different benefits in regulating metabolism. This discovery has some implications for clinical research and drug development. However, more high-quality trials are needed to improve the certainty of our estimates.

Comparative evaluation for phytochemical composition and regulation of blood glucose, hepatic oxidative stress and insulin resistance in mice and HepG2 models of four typical Chinese dark teas

BACKGROUND

Dark tea, comprising one of the six major teas, has many biological activities, which originate from their active substrates, such as polyphenols, polysaccharides, and so on. The hypoglycemic effect is one of its most prominent activities, although less is known about their evaluation and potential role in the hypoglycemic mechanism.

RESULTS

In the present study, we separately analyzed the phytochemical composition, glycosidase inhibition and free radical scavenging activities, and hypoglycemic activity in type 2 diabetes mellitus mice, as well as the alleviation of insulin resistance in HepG2 cells of four dark tea aqueous extracts. The results showed that the phytochemical composition of dark tea aqueous extracts was significantly different, and they all had good glycosidase inhibition and free radical scavenging activities, in vivo hypoglycemic activity and alleviation of insulin resistance, and could also activate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt-perixisome proliferation-activated receptor cascade signaling pathway to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism, change the key enzyme activities related to glucose metabolism and antioxidant activity, and reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory factor levels. Among them, Liubao brick tea (LBT) and Pu-erh tea (PET) possessed better glycosidase inhibitory activity, in vivo hypoglycemic activity and improved insulin resistance activity, whereas Qingzhuan brick tea and Fuzhuan brick tea had better free radical scavenging activity, which may be explained by their distinct phytochemical compositions, such as tea proteins, polysaccharides, polyphenols, catechins, and tea pigments and some elements.

CONCLUSION

Dark tea is a highly attractive candidate for developing antidiabetic food, LBT and PET may be good natural sources of agricultural products with anti-diabetic effects. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Regulation of in vivo delivery of nanomedicines by herbal medicines

Nanomedicines are of increasing scrutiny due to their improved efficacy and/or mitigated side effects. They can be integrated with many other therapeutics to further boost the clinical benefits. Among those, herbal medicines are arousing great interest to be combined with nanomedicines to exert synergistic effects in multifaceted mechanisms. The in vivo performance of nanomedicines which determines the therapeutic efficacy and safety is believed to be heavily influenced by the physio-pathological characters of the body. Activation of multiple immune factors, e.g., complement system, phagocytic cells, lymphocytes, and among many others, can affect the fate of nanomedicines in blood circulation, biodistribution, interaction with single cells and intracellular transport. Immunomodulatory effects and metabolic regulation by herbal medicines have been widely witnessed during the past decades, which alter the physio-pathological conditions and dramatically affect in vivo delivery of nanomedicines. In this review, we summarize recent progress of understanding on the in vivo delivery process of nanomedicines and analyze the major affecting factors that regulate the interaction of nanomedicines with organisms. We discuss the immunomodulatory roles and metabolic regulation by herbal medicines and their effects on in vivo delivery process of nanomedicines, as well as the prospective clinical benefits from the combination of nanomedicines and herbal medicines.

Regulatory T Cells and Diabetes Mellitus

Immune system dysfunction causes dysregulation of immune homeostasis, which in turn leads to autoimmune diseases. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a specialized T cell subpopulation that maintain peripheral tolerance and immune homeostasis. Diabetic patients are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases; thus, in terms of coronary risk, diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered coronary heart disease equivalent. Accumulating evidence indicates that Tregs play an important role in protecting against the development of various cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we provide an overview of the role of Tregs in the pathogenesis of DM, including type 1 DM, type 2 DM, latent autoimmune diabetes of adults, and gestational DM. In addition, we discuss the role of Tregs in diabetic complications, including cardiovascular diseases, nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy. Tregs play a beneficial role in the pathogenesis of DM and diabetic complications, although the precise molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effect of Tregs against DM are still obscure. Collectively, modification of Tregs may provide a promising and novel future strategy for the prevention and therapy of DM and diabetic complications.

Long-Term Tea Consumption Is Associated with Reduced Risk of Diabetic Retinopathy: A Cross-Sectional Survey among Elderly Chinese from Rural Communities

AIM

To investigate the association between variables related to tea consumption (duration, frequency, and type) and the risk of diabetic retinopathy.

METHODS

A rural community-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted in Weitang Town, Suzhou, China. People aged 60 years or above were invited to complete the survey. All eligible patients underwent detailed eye examination. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) was diagnosed and graded based on the retinal fundus imaging. Diabetes was defined as fasting glucose concentrations of ≥7.0 mmol/L or self-reported diagnosis of diabetes. Information about tea consumption such as duration, type, and frequency, together with demographics and lifestyle characteristics, were collected using a face-to-face questionnaire interview. The association between tea consumption and the risk of DR was determined by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Among the 5,281 participants, 614 had diabetes mellitus (prevalence of 11.63%). The prevalence rate of DR was 10.38% in the diabetic population and 1.04% in the general population. Compared with non-tea consumers, the crude OR values for DR in subjects with long-term and short-term tea consumption were 0.34 (95%CI = 0.14-0.82, p = 0.016) and 1.64 (95%CI = 0.74-3.64, p = 0.221), respectively. When adjusted for age, gender, and other confounders, consumption of tea for ≥20 years was associated with reduced odds of DR (OR = 0.29, 95%CI = 0.09-0.97, p = 0.044). Thus, long-term tea consumption was significantly associated with a lower risk of DR. There was no statistical significance between frequency or type of tea consumption with DR (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Elderly diabetic Chinese residents who consumed tea for more than twenty years had a lower risk of DR compared to non-tea consumers. The long-term tea consumption may be an independent protective factor for DR. However, further studies are warranted to examine the association.

Health Functions and Related Molecular Mechanisms of Tea Components: An Update Review

Tea is widely consumed all over the world. Generally, tea is divided into six categories: White, green, yellow, oolong, black, and dark teas, based on the fermentation degree. Tea contains abundant phytochemicals, such as polyphenols, pigments, polysaccharides, alkaloids, free amino acids, and saponins. However, the bioavailability of tea phytochemicals is relatively low. Thus, some novel technologies like nanotechnology have been developed to improve the bioavailability of tea bioactive components and consequently enhance the bioactivity. So far, many studies have demonstrated that tea shows various health functions, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immuno-regulatory, anticancer, cardiovascular-protective, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, and hepato-protective effects. Moreover, it is also considered that drinking tea is safe to humans, since reports about the severe adverse effects of tea consumption are rare. In order to provide a better understanding of tea and its health potential, this review summarizes and discusses recent literature on the bioactive components, bioavailability, health functions, and safety issues of tea, with special attention paid to the related molecular mechanisms of tea health functions.

Tea consumption and risk of diabetes in the Chinese population: a multi-centre, cross-sectional study

The aim of the present study was to explore the influence of tea consumption on diabetes mellitus in the Chinese population. This multi-centre, cross-sectional study was conducted in eight sites from south, east, north, west and middle regions in China by enrolling 12 017 subjects aged 20–70 years. Socio-demographic and general information was collected by a standardised questionnaire. A standard procedure was used to measure anthropometric characteristics and to obtain blood samples. The diagnosis of diabetes was determined using a standard 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. In the final analysis, 10 825 participants were included and multiple logistic models and interaction effect analysis were applied for assessing the association between tea drinking with diabetes. Compared with non-tea drinkers, the multivariable-adjusted OR for newly diagnosed diabetes were 0·80 (95 % CI 0·67, 0·97), 0·88 (95 % CI 0·71, 1·09) and 0·86 (95 % CI 0·67, 1·11) for daily tea drinkers, occasional tea drinkers and seldom tea drinkers, respectively. Furthermore, drinking tea daily was related to decreased risk of diabetes in females by 32 %, elderly (>45 years) by 24 % and obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2) by 34 %. Moreover, drinking dark tea was associated with reduced risk of diabetes by 45 % (OR 0·55; 95 % CI 0·42, 0·72; P < 0·01). The results imply that drinking tea daily was negatively related to risk of diabetes in female, elderly and obese people. In addition, drinking dark tea was associated with decreased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The effect of green tea on C-reactive protein and biomarkers of oxidative stress in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The beneficial effects of green tea on regulating insulin sensitivity and preventing the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been identified.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to investigate the effect of green tea on serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and biomarkers of oxidative stress in patients with T2DM.

METHODS

A systematic search was performed in the ISI Web of science, PubMed and Scopus to find articles related to the effect of the green tea on CRP, malondealdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in T2DM patients, up to June 2019. There was no language and time limitation. Meta-analyses were performed using both the random and fixed effects model where appropriate, and I2 index was used to evaluate the heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Initial search yielded 780 publications. Eight articles with 614 T2DM patients were eligible. Following green tea consumption, CRP levels significantly decreased (weighted mean difference (WMD): -5.51 mg/dl, 95% CI: -9.18 to -1.83, p = 0.003) compared with the controlled group. Green tea consumption had no significant effect on plasma levels of TAC and MDA (0.02 mg/dl, CI: -0.06 to 0.10; -0.14 mg/dl, CI: -0.40 to 0.12; respectively).

CONCLUSION

This systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that green tea significantly reduced the circulating levels of CRP, whereas, it had no significant effect on MDA and TAC. Overall, green tea can be considered as a healthy drink to reduce CRP levels in T2DM patients.

Effects and Mechanisms of Tea for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes Mellitus and Diabetic Complications: An Updated Review

Diabetes mellitus has become a serious and growing public health concern. It has high morbidity and mortality because of its complications, such as diabetic nephropathy, diabetic cardiovascular complication, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic hepatopathy. Epidemiological studies revealed that the consumption of tea was inversely associated with the risk of diabetes mellitus and its complications. Experimental studies demonstrated that tea had protective effects against diabetes mellitus and its complications via several possible mechanisms, including enhancing insulin action, ameliorating insulin resistance, activating insulin signaling pathway, protecting islet β-cells, scavenging free radicals, and decreasing inflammation. Moreover, clinical trials also confirmed that tea intervention is effective in patients with diabetes mellitus and its complications. Therefore, in order to highlight the importance of tea in the prevention and management of diabetes mellitus and its complications, this article summarizes and discusses the effects of tea against diabetes mellitus and its complications based on the findings from epidemiological, experimental, and clinical studies, with the special attention paid to the mechanisms of action.

Pharmacological values and therapeutic properties of black tea (Camellia sinensis): A comprehensive overview

Medicinal plants are essential parts of traditional medicine due to their phytochemical constituents having pharmacological values and therapeutic applications. Black tea have thousands of various biological compounds such as flavonoids (Thearubigins (TRs) and theaflavins (TFs) and catechins), amino acids (L.theanine), vitamins (A, C, K), phenolic acids (caffeic acid (CA), gallic acid (GA), chlorogenic acids (CGA) and cauramic acid), lipids, proteins, volatile compounds carbohydrates, β-carotene and fluoride that illustrated many promising pharmacological effects regarded as growth promoter, cardioprotector, potent cholesterol-lowering effect, antioxidant and antimicrobial, etc inhuman. Although there is an exponential growth in molecular evidence of cholesterol-lowering and antioxidant effect in human, there is still a lack of information of the pharmacological effects of black tea. To fill this information gap, therefore, this review article underscores broadening the new insight pertaining to black tea that could be used as safe food additive. This article also illuminates the interesting role of black tea as an herbal medicine that is the future demand to get rid of synthetic health promoters in the human health practice. Moreover, this information would be useful in terms of the low-cost practice of natural medicines with no residual effects, and a natural protection of the human being. In addition, further studies at a molecular level are needed to reveal its mechanism of action particularly for the hypocholesterolemic effect of black tea to overcome the heart-related diseases, fewer side effects and being a natural safeguard of human health.

Phytotherapy in the Management of Diabetes: A Review

Phytotherapy has long been a source of medicinal products and over the years there have been many attempts to use herbal medicines for the treatment of diabetes. Several medicinal plants and their preparations have been demonstrated to act at key points of glucidic metabolism. The most common mechanisms of action found include the inhibition of α-glucosidase and of AGE formation, the increase of GLUT-4 and PPARs expression and antioxidant activity. Despite the large amount of literature available, the actual clinical effectiveness of medicinal plants in controlling diabetes-related symptoms remains controversial and there is a crucial need for stronger evidence-based data. In this review, an overview of the medicinal plants, which use in the management of diabetes is supported by authoritative monographs, is provided. References to some species which are currently under increasing clinical investigation are also reported.

Protective effects of tea, red wine and cocoa in diabetes. Evidences from human studies

Prevention of diabetes through the diet has recently received an increasing interest, and polyphenolic compounds, such as flavanols, have become important potential chemopreventive natural agents due to their proved benefits on health, with low toxicity and cost. Tea, red wine and cocoa are good sources of flavanols and these highly consumed foods might contribute to prevent diabetes. In this regard, there is increasing evidence for a protective effect of tea, red wine and cocoa consumption against this disorder. This review summarizes the available epidemiological and interventional human studies providing evidence for and against this effect. Overall observational data suggest a benefit, but results are still equivocal and likely confounded by lifestyle and background dietary factors. The weight of data indicate favourable effects on diabetes risk factors for tea, red wine and cocoa intake, and a number of plausible mechanisms have been elucidated in human studies. However, despite the growing evidence it remains uncertain whether tea, red wine and cocoa consumption should be recommended to the general population or to patients as a strategy to reduce the risk of diabetes.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Flavanol-Containing Tea, Cocoa and Apple Products on Body Composition and Blood Lipids: Exploring the Factors Responsible for Variability in Their Efficacy

Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses support the benefits of flavanols on cardiometabolic health, but the factors affecting variability in the responses to these compounds have not been properly assessed. The objectives of this meta-analysis were to systematically collect the RCTs-based-evidence of the effects of flavanol-containing tea, cocoa and apple products on selected biomarkers of cardiometabolic risk and to explore the influence of various factors on the variability in the responses to the consumption of these products. A total of 120 RCTs were selected. Despite a high heterogeneity, the intake of the flavanol-containing products was associated using a random model with changes (reported as standardized difference in means (SDM)) in body mass index (−0.15, p < 0.001), waist circumference (−0.29, p < 0.001), total-cholesterol (−0.21, p < 0.001), LDL-cholesterol (−0.23, p < 0.001), and triacylglycerides (−0.11, p = 0.027), and with an increase of HDL-cholesterol (0.15, p = 0.005). Through subgroup analyses, we showed the influence of baseline-BMI, sex, source/form of administration, medication and country of investigation on some of the outcome measures and suggest that flavanols may be more effective in specific subgroups such as those with a BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m², non-medicated individuals or by specifically using tea products. This meta-analysis provides the first robust evidence of the effects induced by the consumption of flavanol-containing tea, cocoa and apple products on weight and lipid biomarkers and shows the influence of various factors that can affect their bioefficacy in humans. Of note, some of these effects are quantitatively comparable to those produced by drugs, life-style changes or other natural products. Further, RCTs in well-characterized populations are required to fully comprehend the factors affecting inter-individual responses to flavanol and thereby improve flavanols efficacy in the prevention of cardiometabolic disorders.

Antidiabetic Effects of Tea

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic endocrine disease resulted from insulin secretory defect or insulin resistance and it is a leading cause of death around the world. The care of DM patients consumes a huge budget due to the high frequency of consultations and long hospitalizations, making DM a serious threat to both human health and global economies. Tea contains abundant polyphenols and caffeine which showed antidiabetic activity, so the development of antidiabetic medications from tea and its extracts is increasingly receiving attention. However, the results claiming an association between tea consumption and reduced DM risk are inconsistent. The advances in the epidemiologic evidence and the underlying antidiabetic mechanisms of tea are reviewed in this paper. The inconsistent results and the possible causes behind them are also discussed.

The Impact of Green Tea Supplementation on Anthropometric Indices and Inflammatory Cytokines in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

The present study aimed to determine the effect of a green tea supplement on anthropometric indices and inflammatory factors in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In this randomized clinical trial, 45 women with PCOS were randomly allocated into two groups receiving green tea tablets or placebo. The period of intervention was 45 days. The serum levels of interleukin 6, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and tumor necrosis factor α were measured before and after intervention period using the related kits. Anthropometric indices also were measured. The mean of body mass index, weight, waist circumference, and body fat percentage in the green tea group were reduced significantly. However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups. Also, there was no significant effect on the levels of inflammatory factors. The present results suggest that daily consumption of green tea tablets did not cause any effect on inflammation biomarkers in PCOS women. However, it may be effective as a complementary treatment for weight control in these women. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Antioxidative Effects of Natural Products on Diabetic Cardiomyopathy

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a common and severe complication of diabetes and results in high mortality. It is therefore imperative to develop novel therapeutics for the prevention or inhibition of the progression of DCM. Oxidative stress is a key mechanism by which diabetes induces DCM. Hence, targeting of oxidative stress-related processes in DCM could be a promising therapeutic strategy. To date, a number of studies have shown beneficial effects of several natural products on the attenuation of DCM via an antioxidative mechanism of action. The aim of the present review is to provide a comprehensive and concise overview of the previously reported antioxidant natural products in the inhibition of DCM progression. Clinical trials of the antioxidative natural products in the management of DCM are included. In addition, discussion and perspectives are further provided in the present review.

Effect of Diabetea tea ™ consumption on inflammatory cytokines and metabolic biomarkers in type 2 diabetes patients

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Diabetea tea™ (DT) is an anti-diabetic alternative medicine in some Asian countries. The main constituent of DT is black tea originating from Camellia sinensis that is supplemented by 12 other medicinal plants. Black tea contains a large amount of the flavonoids catechins especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidative capacity. This study was undertaken to evaluate the possible effects of DT intake on inflammatory cytokines, regulatory T cells (Tregs) and metabolic biomarkers in T2DM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included 50 patients with T2DM. The patients had received 3 cups (600ml) of DT extract or placebo (PL) extract per day during a period of 12 weeks. Intracellular cytokine expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) as well as the glycemic and lipid profiles were measured at baseline and after the treatment period. The active constituents of the medicinal plants included in DT were investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS).

RESULTS

Ingestion of DT suppressed CD4+ T cell expression of IL-1β and Il-8 (p<0.05) and up-regulated the expression of IL-10 and the Treg/IL-17 ratio (p<0.05) which was not shown in PL. A significant decrease in HbA1c and LDL was observed at the end of the study period (p<0.05) in DT. The GC/MS analyses of DT indicated the presence of lupeol, β-Amyrin and β-sitosterol. Also analyses of individual herbs showed the presence of higher levels of lupeol and β-Amyrin in Nuga Ficus bengalensis and β-sitosterol in the Attikka Ficus racemosa, indicating that the active ingredients of DT are concentrated in these two herbs.

CONCLUSION

The present study provides evidence that DT has hypoglycemic and antihyperlipidemic properties. Interestingly, DT has anti-inflammatory effects. These properties are attributed to the flavonoids, triterpenes and phytosterol contents of the tea. We suggest that DT protects against diabetes complications in the long term.