**4. The antioxidant properties of tea**

Since the nineteenth century to date, researchers have proclaimed that scientists have competently isolated from tea, more than 500 chemical components, both organic and with different relevancies in maintaining human health [9]. Research findings have further demonstrated and attributed the potential health rewards of drinking tea to the antioxidant nature of tea polyphenols [2]. Over 70 types of tea polyphenols exist (catechins and epicatechin), theaflavins, flavonols and proanthocyanidins, kaempferol, cannabiscetin, and their glycosides [32]. The structural arrangements for the main green tea catechins are shown in **Figure 1**.

Flavonoids from tea exhibit a stronger property that justifies its ability to neutralize ROS/RNS, and, therefore, the antioxidant activity of tea is directly proportional to the amount of flavonols present; the higher, the better. It is equally worth noting that using tea and its components cannot take over the role of standard chemotherapy rather, the beneficial properties of tea, particularly EGCG may be used to complement

#### **Figure 1.**

*Structural representation of the main catechins [33].*

**Figure 2.**

*Showing how Flavonoids alter multiple pathways implicated in brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases [37].*

and support the standard anticancer approach [34–36]. **Figure 2** shows the multidimensional role of tea flavonoids.
