Green tea, Camellia sinensis (Theaceae), a major source of flavonoids such as catechins, has recently shown multiple
cardiovascular health benefits through various experimental and clinical studies. These studies suggest that green tea catechins prevent
the incidence of detrimental cardiovascular events, and also lower the cardiovascular mortality rate. Catechins present in green tea have
the ability to prevent atherosclerosis, hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, ischemic heart diseases, cardiomyopathy, cardiac hypertrophy
and congestive heart failure by decreasing oxidative stress, preventing inflammatory events, reducing platelet aggregation and
halting the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. Catechins afford an anti-oxidant effect by inducing anti-oxidant enzymes,
inhibiting pro-oxidant enzymes and scavenging free radicals. Catechins present anti-inflammatory activity through the inhibition of
transcriptional factor NF-κB-mediated production of cytokines and adhesion molecules. Green tea catechins interfere with vascular
growth factors and thus inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, and also inhibit thrombogenesis by suppressing platelet
adhesion. Additionally, catechins could protect vascular endothelial cells and enhance vascular integrity and regulate blood pressure.
In this review various experimental and clinical studies suggesting the role of green tea catechins against the markers of cardiovascular
disorders and the underlying mechanisms for these actions are discussed.