Latin Name                     Camellia sinensis O.Ktze

Family                         Theaceae
Part of the Plant Used            Leaf

Product Introduction

L-Theanine is discovered as a flavorous and characteristic component of tea. Theanine can be found in all parts of the tea plant with variant contents in different parts. The new leaves have the highest concentration of Theanine account for 1-2% of dry weight of leaves while the seed capsule and cotyledon have the least. The content of Theanine is different due to the difference in raw tea leaves and processing methods. The content of Theanine is the highest in white tea and then green tea, white tea, yellow tea, black tea and oolong tea in turn. The content of Theanine is the lowest in dark tea. When it is used as food or beverage additive, L-Theanine can efficiently restrain the bitter and hot taste, so as to meliorate the flavor.

NOVANAT’s product is reputed for following characteristics:

1.         For the first time in the world, NOVANAT takes the abandoned water portion of Green Tea Polyphenols producing process as raw materials to produce natural L-Theanine.

2.         The first time to associate nano-membrane filter, ion-exchange resin, absorption resin chromatogram with freeze-drier together into industrialized separation and purification of natural L-Theanine in China.

Product Specification
L-Theanine 20%-30%

Different specs of Green Tea L-Theanine available

Quality Specification

Functions

1.       Effect of flavor melioration.

2.       A "feel good" supplement. Theanine has been found to induce relaxation without causing sedation or drowsiness. Studies have shown that supplementing with Theanine increased alpha-brain waves, which was associated with a relaxed feeling of well-being.

3.       Lower the blood pressure. According to the research of Yokogoshi H. et al., when Theanine was intraperitoneally administered, a significant decrease in blood pressure was observed with high doses (1500 and 2000 mg/kg).

4.       Improve learning ability and memory by adjusting nervous transmitter substances. Theanine has effects of alleviating PMS, protecting nervous cells, alternating nervous transmitter substances in the brain, and improving the level of dopamine in the brain nerve.

5.       Strengthen the effect of antitumor medicine and inhibit the invasion of cancer cells. Theanine has been shown to significantly increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy treatment of cancer patients when used concurrently, while at the same time reduce the severity of side effects. NOTE: Use of Theanine in conjunction with chemotherapy should be done only under the supervision of a qualified physician. It can benefit the health condition and pharmacologic effects of medicine in human body.

6.       Provide natural resistance to microbial infection. Exposure to Theanine, which is turned into ethylamine in the liver, initiates immunological memory. When researchers introduced bacteria to the ethylamine-exposed cells, these cells multiplied 10-fold and produced a large amount of chemical to fight with bacteria. Those cells that were not exposed to Theanine did not attack the invading antigens.

Applications

l         Pharmaceutical stuff

l         Beverage industry

l         Functional food and food Additive

Safety Research

Early in 1985, American Food and Drugs Administration has certificated L-Theanine as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS), without limit the dosage. Experiments indicate that it is a safe and innocuous food to take.

Reference

1.       Theanine and glutamate transporter inhibitors enhance the antitumor efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents. Biochimica et biophysica acta Dec 2003; 1653 (2): 47-59.

2.       Neuroprotective effects of the green tea components theanine and catechins. Biol. Pharm. Bull. Dec. 2002; 25(12): 1513-1518.

3.       Antigens in tea-beverage prime human V(gamma)2V(delta)2 T cells in vitro and in vivo for memory and nonmemory antibacterial cytokine responses.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. Published online April 28, 2003.

4.       Effect of theanine, r-glutamylethylamide, on brain monoamines and striatal dopamine release in conscious rats. Neurochem Res. 1998; 23(5): 667-73.

5.       Effects of dietary powdered green tea and theanine on tumor growth and endogenous hyperlipidemia in hepatoma-bearing rats.Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. Apr 2002; 66(4): 711-6.

6.       Effect of theanine, r-glutamylethylamide, on brain monoamines, striatal dopamine release and some kinds of behavior in rats.Nutrition. Sep 2000; 16(9): 776-7.

7.       Inhibiting effects of theanine on caffeine stimulation evaluated by EEG in the rat. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2000 Feb; 64(2): 287-93.

8.       Inhibition by theanine of binding of [3H]AMPA, [3H]kainate, and [3H]MDL 105,519 to glutamate receptors. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. Dec 2002; 66(12): 2683-6.