Impacts of Camellia kucha and its main chemical components on the lipid accumulation in 3T3‐L1 adipocytes

Abstract

Summary Camellia kucha, a wild tea plant with potent antioxidant potential, has been consumed as local beverage for a long history. It is featured for the presence of theacrine and low content of caffeine. Interestingly, compared with caffeine showed strong stimulant effect, theacrine showed sedation, hypnoses and promoting memory function. In this study, the anti‐adipogenic ability of Kucha tea (KT) and its main components were evaluated in mouse 3T3‐L1 cells. The results indicated that KT acted significantly to decrease lipid droplet accumulation. Moreover, KT decreased the expression of major transcription factors of adipogenesis pathway, such as PPAR γ and C/EBP α. KT also decreased the mRNA and protein levels of fatty acid synthase, fatty acid translocase, steroylcoenzyme A desaturase‐1, lipoprotein lipase and acetyl‐CoA carboxylase‐1. Furthermore, KT suppressed the activation of ERK, p38 and JNK.

A Review on the Biological Activity of Camellia Species

“…The results showed that catechin group decreased in systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, body weight and fat mass, index waist and hip circumference and also subcutaneous and visceral fat area. Several years later, Li et al 2016 [ 121 ] studied the impacts of Camellia kucha and its main chemical components also on the lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes but in rats. Kucha tea (KT) revealed anti-adipogenic activity (dose-dependent) demonstrating significant decrease in lipid droplet accumulation.…”

“…Anti-osteoporotic effect [117] Hydrolysed sasanquasaponins from the defatted seeds anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities with production of pro-inflammatory cytokines [11] C. oleifera Seed cake polyssacharides Increase of glucose uptake by HepG2 cells [119] Saccharicterpenin Improvement of liver glutathione peroxidase till 500 mg.kg −1 [129] C. kucha Leaves extracts Decrease in lipid droplet accumulation [121] C. japonica…”

Theacrine From Camellia kucha and Its Health Beneficial Effects

“…It shows that theacrine has an effect on fatty acid metabolism through regulating fatty acid metabolism related genes, and the mechanism may be related with its up-regulation of SIRT3 expression (32). Extract (50-200 µg/mL) of C. kucha with 1.44% (W/W/) theacrine showed significant suppressive effect on lipid droplet accumulation and triglyceride (TG) level in 3T3-L1 cells in a dose dependent manner by suppressing the expression of genes involving in lipid metabolism, including FAS, FAT, SCD-1, LPL, SREBP-1c, and ACC (33). Test on C57B/6J mice showed that theacrine significantly decreased hepatic TG content (p < 0.01) and ameliorated hepatic steatosis in mice (34).…”

“…Peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptor γ (PPAR γ) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBP α) are considered to be the key regulators of adipogenesis (47,48). Theacrine suppressed the lipid droplet accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by downregulation of the expression of major transcription factors of adipogenesis pathway including PPAR γ and C/EBP α (33). Furthermore, theacrine also decreased the mRNA and protein levels of fatty acid synthase, fatty acid translocase, steroylcoenzyme A desaturase-1, lipoprotein lipase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase-1 (33).…”

Nontargeted and targeted metabolomics analysis provides novel insight into nonvolatile metabolites in Jianghua Kucha tea germplasm (Camellia sinensis var. Assamica cv. Jianghua)

“…Although Kucha has a strong bitter taste, locals enjoy drinking it to promote health. Previous studies have demonstrated that Kucha tea extract has relatively high antioxidative activity ( Li, et al, 2012 ) and significantly suppressed the accumulation of lipid droplets ( Li, et al, 2016 ). Jianghua Kucha [JHKC, Camellia sinensis var.…”