Seminar on L-THEANINE, A UNIQUE AMINO ACID IN TEA TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTROD UC TI ON ……………………………………………………….. 3 2. OBJECTIVE …………………………………………………...................7 3. ST ATES OF MAT TER…………………………………………………. 7 4. BIOSYNTHESIS OF THEANINE AND ITS METABOLISM IN TEA PLANT..........................................................................................................7 5. ENZYMIC SYNTHESIS OF THEANINE…………………………….....8 6.PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS.....................................................................11 6.1 Alpha-brain activity……………………………………………………11 6.2Balancing sleep/wake…………………………………………………...12 6.3Balancing brain chemistry……………………………………………...13 6.4Balancing the liver: Alcohol …………………………………………….14 6.5Additional Benefits...................................................................................15 6.6Stress Relief………………………………………………………………17 7.STATUS AND USAGE………………………………………………………..17 8.CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………...18 9. REFERENCES……………………………………………………………......19
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Chlorophylls and other pigments 0.5-0.6 Colour and appearance
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Ash (minerals) 5-6
Volatiles 0.01-0.02 Aroma
Source(H:\The Chemistry
of Tea.mht) www.google.com
A tea infusion provides only 4 cal. per cup but.with the addition of a table spoon of
milk (10 calories) and a lump of sugar (25 calories) , it provides about 40 calories. One
pound of good tea (.45 kg) may contain upto 245 grains (15.9gms) of caffeine and is
sufficient to make 200 cups of the beverage ( The New Encyclo., 1768).
Among the latest discoveries about tea is that it can prevent depression and lower
blood pressure. Both green and black tea has beneficial health effects, the main
difference being that black tea is oxidized. That would seem to destroy tea” bioactivity,
but it does not .Black tea continues to prove itself in scientific studies. Researchers with
the US Department of agriculture, for example, recently reported that five cup of black
tea a day can lower potentially harmful low –density lipoprotein (LDL) and total
cholesterol in people with mildly elevated cholesterol.(junejia,1999)
Black tea has benefits, but green tea has undergone more investigation,
especially in Japan, where it’s the most popular beverage .Many new reports have come
out about green tea “s amino acid, theanine, since life extension introduced it .The only
other known source of this amino acid is mushroom. Discovered in 1949, theanine
occupies a place on the shelf quite different from that of other dietary supplements. It
has to do with tea ceremony (H:/Green Tea)
L-theanine is a unique free (non-protein) amino acid because it is found only in
tea plant with the exception of mushroom and seedlings of few kinds of Camellia
species, Camellia Japonica and Camellia sasanqua. Theanine in tea leaf account about
50% of all free amino acids (Chu,kobayashi,Junejia and yamamoto1997).
The content of total nitrogen in green tea extracts ranges from 4.5to6%, andabout a half of it of free amino acid. Theanine and Glutamic acid are major amino acid
in green tea infusion, and aspartic acid and arginine are next (Chu and junejia, 1997).
The occurrence of theanine in tea leaves was discovered by Sakato in 1950, and its
Green tea content higher amount of L-theanine than other tea. In general green tea
infusion content 45.9% L-theanine of total free amino acid. Preparation of tea infusion:
100g of hot water was added to 100mg of ground dry tea leaves, and mixture was kept
at 80 degree Celsius for 30 minutes. (Chu and Juneja, 1997).
The content of amino acids in tea leaves harvested in season of early summer are
usually superior in quality to those harvested in latter season .Shading of the tea plant
increases the amount of amino acids, especially of theanine in young shoots, and
decreases the polyphenol content.
Table: Seasonal changes in some chemical component of green tea leaves.
Components (%)
Harvested in early
summer (%)
Harvested in late
summer (%)Soluble fraction 46.99 49.95
Polyphenol 10.89 14.85
Total nitrogen 5.31 4.52
Theanine(mgper 100g
leaves)
1,613 404
caffeine 3.07 3.48
Free amino acid 1.9- 3.2 0.5-1
(Chu, 1997)
Tea leaf is a sole natural resource of theanine reported to present .However recently the
production of theanine has become possible to be carried out in an industrial scale by
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the method of enzymic synthesis. It was also found that the intake of theanine brings
the generation of α-brain wave in human.
L –theanine is also one of the components that decide its taste (umami) (Chu,
kobayashi, Juneja, and Yamamoto).
2.OBJECTIVES
The main objectives of this class seminar are:
• To study the role of L-theanine present in tea.
• To study the antagonism action of L –theanine against the stimulating effect of
caffeine in brain.
• To the study the Anxiety reducing and mood enhancing property of L-theanine.
• To study the neurotransmitting character of L-theanine.
3.STATES OF MATTER
Tea showing the many health benefits but what makes it the most consumed
beverage in the world after water is its pleasant taste and relaxation effect. Both of these
qualities and more can be traced to a unique, neurologically active amino acid in tea
called L-theanine (gamma-ethyl-amino-Lglutamic acid).
L-theanine is a free (non-protein) amino acid found almost exclusively in tea
plants (camellia sp.), constituting between 1 and 2 percent of the dry weight of tea
leaves. It is the predominant amino acid in green tea leaves, giving tea its characteristic
umami or 5th taste (besides the four tastes namely sweet, salty, acid and bitter). Attempt
to isolate the L-theanine with its physiological benefits from the tea leaves were once
difficult, expensive and inefficient. Economically feasible method of producing the
identical L-theanine now exist and do not require a mountain of tea leaves.(H:\L-
theanine.mht)
4.BIOSYNTHESIS OF THEANINE AND ITS METABOLISM IN TEA PLANT.
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Theanine is synthesized in the root starting from ammonia as the nitrogen
source .The gultamic acid produced in the root conjugate with ethylamine by the
catalytic reaction of L-glutamate ethylamine ligase (E.C., 6.3.1.6).Ethylamine is
derived from alanine by decarboxylation or denoveo synthesis via pyruvic acid.
It is known that Camellia sinesis produces ethylamine from alanine. Theanine
synthesized in the root is immediately transferred to growing shoot and accumulated
there. A remarkable accumulation of theanine in buds and young leaves is due to the
continuous transport of it from roots, because the catabolism of theanine in young
shoots is slow relative to the transportation rate of theanine.
Theanine accumulated in young shoots is hydrolyzed into gulatmic acid and
ethylamine by an enzyme .The ethylamine produced is used to synthesize catecheine
under the sunlight .A part of ethylamine isdegarded into acetaldehyde, hydrogen
peroxide, and ammonia by an enzymic oxidation reaction. The released ammonia is
used as a nitrogen source again.
Fig 1: schematic representation of synthesis and metabolism of theanine in tea
plant. (chu, kobayashi,junejia,and Yamamoto,1997)
5. ENZYMIC SYNTHESIS OF THEANINE
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An enzymic synthetic method of theanine from glutamine and ethylamine was first
reported by Yamada and his coworkers in 1990, using gultaminase from Pseudomonas
nitroreducens.
P.nitroreducens IFO 12694 were immobilized with k-carragreenan (fig) and packed
into a series of cylindrical reactors (Fig-3.).Solution of 0.3M glutamine and 0.7M
ethanolamine in 0.05M borate- NaOH buffer (pH9.5) were mixed and immediately
supplied to the reactor at a flow rate of SV =0.33per hour at 30 oC.Bythis method
production of theanine was operated for over a period of 120days with a high yield of
the product (fig4).The theanine in the product reservoir was easily isolated by
subjecting the solution to column chromatography using an ion exchanger. The yield of
theanine was about 95percent based on glutamine consumed.
Fig 2: Preparation of Immobilized cells.
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(chu, kobayashi,junejia,and Yamamoto,1997)
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6. PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
The calming effect of green tea may seem contradictory to the stimulatory property of
tea’s caffeine content but it can be explained by the action of L-theanine. This amino
acid actually acts antagonistically against the stimulatory effect of caffeine on the
nervous system. Research on human volunteers has demonstrated that L-theanine
creates a sense of relaxation in approximately 30-40 min after ingestion via at least two
different mechanisms. First, this amino acid directly stimulates the production of α-
brain waves, creating a state of deep relaxation and mental alertness similar to what
achieved through meditation.
Second, L-theanine is involved in the formation of inhibitory neurotransmitter,
γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA). GABA influences the level of two other
neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, producing the key relaxation effect. (H:\L-
Theanine Unique Anxiety Reducer and Mood Enhancer Increases Alpha Waves and
Alertness.mht)
6.1. Alpha-brain activity
The brain emits weak electrical impulses (brain waves) that can be measured on
the surface of head .The predominant frequency of electrical impulses correlates with
different types of mental states and activities. Brain waves are classified into four
categories (delta, theta, alpha and beta) each with an associated mental state. Shown in
figure.
Fig 5: Classification of brain waves and mental conditions. (www.lipton.com
au/l theanine)
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Delta is seen only in the deepest stage of sleep. Theta is seen in light sleep and
drowsiness. Alpha is present in wakefulness where there is a relaxed and effortless
alertness and Beta is seen in highly stressful situation and where there is difficulty in
mental concentration and focus. It is well known that α-brain waves are generated
during a relaxed state and therefore alpha waves are used as an index of relaxation.
Fig 6: Changes in appearance of the α-brain wave. Differences in appearance and
strength of α-wave become clearer 40 min. after the intake of a theanine solution
{200mg/100ml water}
Figure shows a result obtained in the brain topography visualization by the
computer analyzing technique when theanine was orally administered to volunteers.
The α-brain waves were observed from the back to the top of person’s head (occipital
and parietal regions of the brain) within approximately 40 minutes after the subjects had
taken either 50 or 200mg of L-theanine. In a separate study, the intensity of α-wavewere determined to be dose dependent (with a 200mg dose showing a significant
increase over controls) and detectable after 30 minutes(chu, kobayashi,junejia,and
Yamamoto,1997)
6.2Balancing sleep/wake
In balancing sleep/wake using tea ceremony in a capsule. Relaxation, rejuvenation,
focuses. The tea ceremony energizes without draining, calms without putting to sleep,
and motivates without causing a jagged edge. Although tea can have as much or more
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caffeine than some coffees, it doesn’t have the “speedy” effect. The reason is its secret
ingredient, L-theanine. Research shows that l-theanine neutralizes the speedy, jagged,
bad effect of caffeine without reducing its mind –energizing, fat –burning features.
L-theanine’s effect on the brain can be visualized on an EEG. Brain waves are actually
smoothed out-but not flattened out – by supplemental L-theanine.the body is relaxed,
the mind is calmed, but no drowsiness occurs. This is exactly the type of relaxation
prescribed by sleep therapists. The person seeking help will be asked to listen to music
or engage in a similar relaxing activity immediately before retiring. Studies shows that
pre-sleep relaxation is very effective against insomnia, even in tough cases.
Falling asleep is one thing, staying asleep and quality sleep is another. Researcher in
Japan gave volunteers 200mg of L-theanine daily and recorded their sleep pattern on
devices worn around theirs wrists.theL-theanine didn’t cause the subject to sleep longer,
but it did cause to sleep better. It was documented that sleep quality, recovery from
exhaustion, and refresh feelings were all enhanced byL-theanine.those taking L-
theanine felt like they slept longer than they actual did. This is the good news for people
who don’t get enough sleep, or those who want to sleep less and do more.
One of the other effects of the tea ceremony is that it leaves people in better mood.
Knowing that L-theanine can cross the blood –brain barrier and positive affect brain
chemistry, scientist investigated its mood – modulating effects. The result of those
studies has led to L-theanine being patent as a mood Enhancer. How it works is not
completely understood, but one thing researchers have discovered is that L-theanine
changes levels of amino acids affecting serotonin and other neurotransmitters in the