http://www.abbs.info E-mail: [email protected]
ISSN 0582-9879 Acta Biochimica et Biophysica Sinica 2004, 36(7): 508–512 CN 31-1300/Q

---

The Theaflavin Monomers Inhibit the Cancer Cells Growth in Vitro

You-Ying TU^1,3, An-Bin TANG², and Naoharu WATANABE³*

¹Department of Tea Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China;
²Sichuan Dongfang Insulation Material Co., Ltd., Mianyang 621000, China;
³Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Shizuoka University, 836 Ohya, Shizuoka 422-8529, Japan

Abstract The inhibition effects of tea theaflavins complex (TFs), theaflavin-3-3'-digallate (TFDG), theaflavin-3'-gallate (TF2B), and an unidentified compound (UC) on the growth of human liver cancer BEL-7402 cells, gastric cancer MKN-28 cells and acute promyelocytic leukemia LH-60 cells were investigated. TFs was obtained through the catalysis of catechins with immobilized polyphenols oxidase. TFDG, TF2B and UC were isolated from TFs with high speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC). The results showed that TF2B significantly inhibited the growth of all three kinds of cancer cells, TFs, TFDG and UC had some effect on BEL-7402 and MKN-28, but little activity on LH-60. The inhibition effects of TF2B, TFDG, and UC on BEL-7402 and MKN-28 were stronger than TFs. The relationship coefficients between monomer concentration and its inhibition rate against MKN-28 and BEL-7402 were 0.87 and 0.98 for TF2B, 0.96 and 0.98 for UC, respectively. The IC₅₀ values of TFs, TF2B, and TFDG were 0.18, 0.11, and 0.16 mM on BEL-7402 cells, and 1.11, 0.22, and 0.25 mM on MKN-28 cells respectively.

Key words theaflavin monomer; separation; cancer cells; inhibition

-----------------

Received: April 1, 2004 Accepted: May 12, 2004

*Corresponding author: Tel/Fax, 81-54-2384870; E-mail, [email protected]