Improvement of blood lipid profiles by Goishi tea polyphenols in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study.

Dyslipidaemia is a risk factor for arteriosclerosis. Recent studies have shown that dyslipidaemia is effectively prevented by various polyphenols. In this clinical study (UMIN trial: 000024028), we evaluated the beneficial effects of polyphenols contained in Goishi tea on blood lipid profiles. Seventy-seven subjects with LDL cholesterol (CHO) ≧120 mg/mL were randomly divided into two groups for 12 weeks of polyphenol intake as follows: the Goishi tea group for daily consumption of Goishi tea containing 122 mg of polyphenols and the placebo group for the corresponding consumption of a placebo drink containing 12.2 mg of polyphenols. Intake of Goishi tea polyphenols tended to increase HDL CHO and suppress the elevation of triglycerides. These effects were particularly notable among the subjects with a body mass index <25 kg/m2. These findings suggest that Goishi tea polyphenols may suppress arteriosclerosis and reduce cardiovascular event risk by improving blood lipid profiles and thereby preventing dyslipidaemia.

Aurantiacicella marina gen. nov., sp. nov., a myxol-producing bacterium from surface seawater.

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, mesophilic, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium, strain 2A-8T, was isolated from surface seawater at Muroto city, Kochi prefecture, Japan. The strain produced myxol as a major carotenoid. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain fell within the family Flavobacteriaceae and was related most closely to the genus Aquimarina (91.0-94.4 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to the type strains of species of this genus). The DNA G+C content was 35 mol%. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified aminolipid and five unidentified lipids. Menaquinone 6 was detected as the sole isoprenoid quinone. On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic data, strain 2A-8T represents a novel genus and species, for which the name Aurantiacicella marina gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Aurantiacicella marina is 2A-8T ( = NBRC 111187T = KCTC 42676T).

The influence of Goishi tea on adipocytokines in obese mice.

This study investigated the influence of Goishi-tea on visceral fat weight in induced obese mice. Mice were divided into two main groups, normal and obesity. In obesity group, mice were fed with high-fat diet. Goishi-tea including its fractions (ethyl-acetate layer and water layer) was administrated in normal and obesity three sub-groups. Results showed no influence of Goishi-tea in normal group. However, visceral fat weight, size of adipose cell and cholesterol level were significantly decreased in obesity group fed Goishi-tea compared to control group. Moreover, adiponectin levels tended to increase and adipocytokines has significant values lower in obesity group fed Goishi-tea compared to control group. Interestingly, Goishi tea involved in the high-fat diet induced-obese mice can inhibit fat accumulation and maintain adiponectins without increasing tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6. It would be beneficial for the prevention of metabolic syndrome and obesity-related disorder.

Cloning of agarase gene from non-marine agarolytic bacterium Cellvibrio sp.

Agarase genes of non-marine agarolytic bacterium Cellvibrio sp. were cloned into Escherichia coli and one of the genes obtained using HindIII was sequenced. From nucleotide and putative amino acid sequences (713 aa, molecular mass; 78,771 Da) of the gene, designated as agarase AgaA, the gene was found to have closest homology to the Saccharophagus degradans (formerly, Microbulbifer degradans) 2-40 aga86 gene, belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 86 (GH86). The putative protein appears to be a non-secreted protein because of the absence of a signal sequence. The recombinant protein was purified with anion exchange and gel filtration columns after ammonium sulfate precipitation and the molecular mass (79 kDa) determined by SDS-PAGE and subsequent enzymography agreed with the estimated value, suggesting that the enzyme is monomeric. The optimal pH and temperature for enzymatic hydrolysis of agarose were 6.5 and 42.5 degrees C, and the enzyme was stable under 40 degrees C. LC-MS and NMR analyses revealed production of a neoagarobiose and a neoagarotetraose with a small amount of a neoagarohexaose during hydrolysis of agarose, indicating that the enzyme is a beta-agarase.

[Inhibitory effects of "Goishi-tea" as a post-fermented-tea on dietary-induced hypercholesteremia and atherosclerosis in rabbits].

Since lipid oxidation is involved in the deterioration of hypercholesterolemia-related atherosclerosis, ingestion of drinks and foods with antioxidant actions is useful for preventing lipid oxidation. Goishi-tea is a post-fermented-tea manufactured by a unique method in Japan, and may be useful for preventing various disorders. However, there is no scientific evidence. In this study, we compared the radical scavenging activity of goishi-tea with that of other teas, and administered this tea to a rabbit model of hypercholesteremia to evaluate its usefulness in the inhibition of hypercholesteremia and atherosclerosis. The radical scavenging activity of goishi-tea was similar to that of green-tea, and was higher than that of other types of fermented-teas. On the other hand, some difference of components was found between goishi-tea and green-tea. In cholesterol-fed rabbits, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol level in the goishi-tea-group was lower than that in the green-tea-group. Plasma lipidperoxide value was also lower in the goishi-tea-group than in the green-tea and tap-water-groups. On aortic endothelial staining, fat area in the goishi-tea-group was lower than that in the tap-water-group. Furthermore, fat accumulation in the aortic intima in the goishi-tea-group was very low. Goishi-tea has higher antioxidant activities than the other fermented-teas tested, which were generally low, and decreased serum lipid levels, suggesting that goishitea is a very peculiar fermented-tea with usefulness in the prevention of hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis.

Determination of antioxidant activity and characterization of antioxidant phenolics in the plum vinegar extract of cherry blossom (Prunus lannesiana).

Sakura-cha (salted cherry blossom tea) is a Japanese tea that is traditionally served at celebrations such as wedding ceremonies. The production of Sakura-cha includes the immersion of cherry blossom flowers in Japanese plum vinegar, and through this process, the byproduct (plum vinegar extract of cherry blossom) is obtained. In this study, the antioxidant activity of the plum vinegar extract of cherry blossom was examined. The plum vinegar extract of cherry blossom had a greater superoxide anion scavenging activity compared with red wine, which is a well-known strong antioxidant. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside, and caffeic acid were the major components in the phenolic extract prepared from plum vinegar extract of cherry blossom, and they possessed superoxide anion scavenging activity. Caffeic acid is mainly responsible for the scavenging activity of phenolic extract; the contributions of cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-rutinoside were minor.