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Posted on Feb 26, 2010, 6 a.m.
Hong Kong researchers report that antioxidant compounds in green tea are absorbed in significant amounts in the retina and other tissues of the eye.
Catechins are antioxidant compounds present in high concentrations in green tea. Chi Pui Pang, from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Kowloon, Hong Kong), and colleagues have found that laboratory rats fed green tea absorbed significant amounts of tea catechins into the retina and aqueous humor tissue of the eye. The team observed that green tea catechins reduced oxidative stress in the eye for up to 20 hours after consumption. By establishing that green tea catechins do penetrate into tissues of the eye, the researchers raise the potential for these compounds to beneficially impact glaucoma and other common eye diseases.
Kai On Chu, Kwok Ping Chan, Chi Chiu Wang, Ching Yan Chu, Wai Ying Li, Kwong Wai Choy, Michael Scott Rogers, Chi Pui Pang. “Green Tea Catechins and Their Oxidative Protection in the Rat Eye.” J. Agric. Food Chem., 2010, 58 (3), pp 1523–1534, January 19, 2010; DOI: 10.1021/jf9032602.
