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Planta Med 2007; 73(1): 27-32
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-951745
Original Paper
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Inhibition of Folic Acid Uptake by Catechins and Tea Extracts in Caco-2 Cells

N. Ceren Alemdaroglu1 , Siegfried Wolffram2 , Jean-Paul Boissel3 , Ellen Closs3 , Hildegard Spahn-Langguth4 , Peter Langguth1
  • 1Institute of Pharmacy, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
  • 2Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
  • 3Department of Pharmacology, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
  • 4Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo (GUC), New Cairo City, Egypt
Further Information

Publication History

Received: May 19, 2006

Accepted: October 7, 2006

Publication Date:
21 November 2006 (online)

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Abstract

In this present study it was aimed to determine whether the catechins contained in green tea and the whole extracts of Camellia sinensis (Theaceae) inhibit the uptake of folic acid by Caco-2 cell monolayers. Our results indicate that (-)-epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG) and (-)-epicatechin 3-gallate (ECG) inhibit cellular folic acid uptake with IC50 values of 34.8 μmol/L and 30.8 μmol/L, respectively. Furthermore, green and black tea extracts were also found to inhibit folic acid uptake with IC50 values of approximately 7.5 and 3.6 mg/mL, respectively. According to these results, simultaneous intake of tea and folic acid may inhibit intestinal folic acid absorption. The consequences with respect to the folate status of the body will need to be examined in vivo.

Abbreviations

EGCG:(-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate

ECG:(-)-epicatechin-3-gallate

EGC:(-)-epigallocatechin

EC:(-)-epicatechin

MTX:methotrexate

DHFR:dihydrofolate reductase

RFC:reduced folate carrier

FRα:folate receptor alpha

FRβ:folate receptor beta

Key words

Camellia sinensis - Theaceae - folic acid - tea - catechin - uptake

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Prof. Dr. Peter Langguth

Institute of Pharmacy

Johannes Gutenberg-University

Staudingerweg 5

55099 Mainz

Germany

Phone: +49-6131-392-5746

Fax: +49-6131-392-5021

Email: langguth@mail.uni-mainz.de

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