A new study has outlined one possible mechanism of action of tea compounds that involve the activation of ion channel proteins in the blood vessel wall, relaxing the structure and thus reducing blood pressure.
The research team identifies two catechin-type flavonoid compounds, epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), that each activate the ion channel protein, KCNQ5.
This ion channel controls potassium ions’ movement in and out of cells determining cellular excitability and also the relaxation of blood vessels.
“We found by using computer modelling and mutagenesis studies that specific catechins bind to the foot of the voltage sensor, which is the part of KCNQ5 that allows the channel to open in response to cellular excitation,” outlines Geoffrey Abbott, a professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the UCI School of Medicine.