Antimutagenicity of Tochu tea (an aqueous extract of Eucommia ulmoides leaves): 2. Suppressing effect of Tochu tea on the urine mutagenicity after ingestion of raw fish and cooked beef

The effect of Tochu tea, which is an aqueous extract of Eucommia ulmoides leaves and a popular beverage in Japan, on the urine mutagenicity before and after ingestion of raw fish and cooked beef was studied using Salmonella typhimurium YG1024. Urines were collected from seven healthy, non-smoking Japanese women before and after ingestion of raw fish and cooked beef. In experiment 1, 3 were in a control group and 4 were in a Tochu tea-drinking group (2000 ml per day). The mutagenicity of urine from the Tochu tea-drinking group was much lower. In experiment 2 the 7 women switched groups; the tea-drinking group became the control group, and the control group became the Tochu tea-drinking group. Again, the mutagenicity of urine collected from the Tochu tea-drinking group was much lower. These results suggest that the decrease in the mutagenicity of the urine from the Tochu tea-drinking group was due to the intake of Tochu tea, but not to individual differences. Thus, the ingestion of Tochu tea may reduce human exposure to dietary mutagens.