Effect of the Hot-Water Extract of Black Tea (Camellia sinensis) on the Rat Diaphragm

The theaflavin fraction is responsible for the facilitatory effect of black tea at the skeletal myoneural junction

“…The present findings reveal that the theaflavin (Tfs) fraction of black tea is the constituent responsible for the facilitatory effect of black tea on skeletomotor apparatus reported earlier (Das et al, 1994) as the thearubigin (Trs) fraction and the aqueous part did not produce any effect on indirect twitch responses of the rat diaphragm preparation. The finding that Tfs failed to produce any effect on direct twitch responses and on ACh and KCl induced contractures of the denervated diaphragm indicates that postsynaptic mechanisms are not involved in the action of Tfs at the skeletomotor apparatus.…”

“…Black tea and its constituents have been reported to possess prokinetic (Chaudhuri et al, 2000), anti-carcinogenic (Das et al, 2002), anti-ulcer (Maity et al, 1995(Maity et al, , 1998 and anti-hyperglycemic (Gomes et al, 1995) activities. Since the consumption of tea has been known to alleviate post game fatigue in players and sportsmen (Krishnamoorthy, 1991), the effect of hot water extract of both black (Das et al, 1994) and green tea (Das et al, 1997) on the mammalian skeletomotor apparatus was studied in our laboratory by employing innervated and denervated rat diaphragm preparations. It was found that both black and green tea extracts enhanced muscle performance though unlike green tea, black tea was devoid of any blocking effect at higher concentrations (Das et al, 1994(Das et al, , 1997.…”

“…Since the consumption of tea has been known to alleviate post game fatigue in players and sportsmen (Krishnamoorthy, 1991), the effect of hot water extract of both black (Das et al, 1994) and green tea (Das et al, 1997) on the mammalian skeletomotor apparatus was studied in our laboratory by employing innervated and denervated rat diaphragm preparations. It was found that both black and green tea extracts enhanced muscle performance though unlike green tea, black tea was devoid of any blocking effect at higher concentrations (Das et al, 1994(Das et al, , 1997. The study has now been extended to find out the active constituents of black tea responsible for the potentiation of neuromuscular transmission.…”

Antidiarrhoeal activity of hot water extract of black tea (Camellia sinensis)

“…Pharmacological studies have been carried out with black tea since 1991 and it has been reported that black tea extract (BTE) possesses facilitatory and antiparalytic effects at the skeletomotor junction (Das et al , 1994), antihyperglycaemic activity (Gomes et al , 1995) and antiulcer activity (Maity et al , 1995;1998). Recent reports from this laboratory indicate that while single administration of a 3% solution of BTE increased gastric transit (Chaudhuri et al ., 2000), chronic administration of a higher concentration of BTE, i.e.…”

Antibothropic Action of Camellia sinensis Extract Against the Neuromuscular Blockade by Bothrops jararacussu Snake Venom and Its Main Toxin, Bothropstoxin-I

“…The literature describing the medicinal benefits of tea is extensive, but the report about its consumption to alleviate post game fatigue in players and sportsmen (Krishnamoorthy, 1991) inspired further studies on the mammalian skeletomotor apparatus (Das et al, 1994;. For example, Basu et al (2005) attributed to theaflavin, but not thearubigin, the facilitatory effect induced at the skeletal myoneural junction.…”