**Thanks**

*Beta Thalassemia*

property.

**3.6 Patients with β-thalassemia**

of lives, and good health.

neurodegenerative disorders.

**Acknowledgements**

**4. Conclusions**

accumulation, improved antioxidant capacity, and restored the increase of hepcidin in the livers of iron-overloaded rats [117]. Recently, Koonyosying and colleagues have demonstrated that GTE decreased the amounts of iron in the livers (P < 0.05) and pancreas insignificantly from iron-loaded BKO mice; however, combination therapy of DFP and GTE was not efficient superior to the GTE monotherapy in the two cells [84]. Similarly, GTE treatment efficiently lowered the levels of lipid peroxidation products such as plasma TBARS and tissue MDA in liver and pancreatic tissues from BKO mice fed with ferrocene diet, and the combined treatment was not superior to the GTE monotherapy either [84]. Consistent with studies of the cells, GTE restored the production of hepatic hepcidin and pancreatic insulin in iron-loaded BKO mice, and the combined treatment was not more efficient over the GTE monotherapy [84]. The findings suggest protective effects of iron-induced oxidative hepatic and pancreatic damages by GTE, which the action would be mainly free radical scavenging

A recent study of controlled trial in British healthy volunteers has demonstrated that the interval between meal consumption and tea consumption did not affect plasma levels of hepcidin-25 [118]. Surprisingly, the consumption of GTEcurcumin drinks for 60 days tentatively decreased the levels of Hb, Hct, and RBC numbers in TDT patients [84]. Moreover, the drink with the GTE dose of 50 mg EGCG equivalent was found to lower the levels of NTBI and LPI. Taken together, green tea polyphenols and curcuminoids present in the drink could possibly interfere absorption of dietary iron and mobilize delivery of iron to the erythrons [65, 79, 119]. Taken all our studies, we summarize the applications of nutraceutical green tea extract for the amelioration of iron-overloaded cells, β-thalassemic mice, and patients with β-thalassemia (**Figure 5**) [79, 84, 106, 116, 119–128]. In our expectations, we hope the patients will have safer chelation therapy, a better quality

Patients with β-thalassemia suffer from ineffective erythropoiesis and chronic anemia and from secondary iron overload caused by multiple blood transfusions and increased iron absorption. Iron chelation therapy and antioxidant administration are supportive treatments to ameliorate iron overload and oxidative tissue damage. Green tea (*Camellia sinensis*) abundant with EGCG possesses diuretic, free radical scavenging, and iron-chelating properties. Accordingly, green tea products can decrease the levels of redox-active iron, ROS, and lipid peroxidation products in iron-overloaded cells, β-thalassemic mice, and patients. In addition, green tea can restore pancreatic insulin secretion and hepatic hepcidin production from hepatocytes with iron overload. Furthermore, the nutraceutical properties of green tea products have to be investigated intensively in patients with oxidative stress and

We gratefully acknowledge Thailand Science Research and Innovation (Academic Section) (Grant number RGU6180007) and the Faculty of Medicine

**54**

We also thank Dr. Narisara Paradee, Ph.D., for graphic and artwork and Mr. Touchwin Petiwathayakorn for supplying information on green tea.
