Kenyan Purple Tea Anthocyanins Ability to Cross the Blood Brain Barrier Reinforcing Brain Antioxidant Capacity in Mice

Abstract

Studies on antioxidants as neuroprotective agents have been hampered by the impermeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB) to many compounds. However, previous studies have shown that a group of tea (Camelliasinensis) flavonoids, the catechins, are brain permeable and neuroprotective. Despite this remarkable observation,there exists no data on the bioavailability and pharmacological benefits of tea anthocyanins (ACNs) in the brain tissue. This study investigated the ability of Kenyan purple tea ACNs to cross the BBB and boost the brainantioxidant capacity. Mice were orally administered with purified and characterised Kenyan purple tea ACNs ora combination of Kenyan purple tea ACN’s and coenzyme-Q10, at a dose of 200 mg kg-1 body weight in anexperiment that lasted for 15 days. Twenty four hours post the last dosage of antioxidants, CO2was used toeuthenise the mice. Then the brain was excised and used for various biochemical analyses. Kenyan purple teaACNs significantly (P<0.05) raised brain Glutathione (GSH) levels, implying a boost in brain antioxidantcapacity. Notably, ACN metabolites were detected in brain tissue of ACN fed mice. This is the first demonstrationthat Kenyan purple tea ACNs can cross the BBB, reinforcing the brain’s antioxidant capacity. Hence, there isneed to study ACNs as suitable candidates for dietary supplements that could support antioxidant capacity inthe brain and have potential to provide neuroprotection in neurodegenerative conditions