| Abstract
| - This study investigated the effects of green tea polyphenol on the serum antioxidative activity andcholesterol levels of cholesterol-fed rats and compared them with those of probucol, an antioxidanthypocholesterolemic agent. To evaluate the antioxidative activity, the susceptibility to oxidativemodification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) isolated from the serum of cholesterol-fed rats wasmeasured, as was the serum antioxidative activity using the spontaneous autoxidation system ofbrain homogenate. Administration of green tea polyphenol effectively inhibited LDL oxidation andelevated serum antioxidative activity to the same degree as probucol. However, higher amounts ofpolyphenol than probucol needed to be administered to reduce the total, free, and LDL cholesterollevels. Furthermore, green tea polyphenol increased the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)cholesterol, leading to dose-dependent improvement of the atherogenic index, an effect that was notseen with probucol. Thus, green tea polyphenol may exert an antiatherosclerotic action by virtue ofits antioxidant properties and by increasing HDL cholesterol levels. Keywords: Green tea; polyphenol; antioxidant
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