Preventive effects of the extract of kinka-cha, a folk tea, on a rat model of metabolic syndrome.

Kinka-cha (dried leaf of Camellia nitidissima) is used as a folk tea for detoxication, diuresis and antihypertension. In the present study, we evaluated the extract of kinka-cha on metabolic, vascular and oxidative stress parameters in a model of metabolic syndrome, SHR/NDmcr-cp/cp (SHR/cp) rats that manifest hypertension, obesity, glucose intolerance and hyperlipidemia. Treatment with the extract of kinka-cha alleviated the increase in blood pressure, decrease in tail blood flow and elevated serum oxidative stress marker levels including lipid peroxides, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, 3-nitrotyrosine and 3-chlorotyrosine. However, kinka-cha did not affect weight gain, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, nor the relaxation responses of the aorta mesenteric artery, thoracic aortas and tail vein, and blood clotting and platelet aggregation. These results suggest that kinka-cha can help reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, possibly due to the presence of antioxidants.