Reduction of chronic psychosocial hypertension in mice by decaffeinated tea

The effects of decaffeinated green tea on CBA mice have been contrasted with those of water during 3 to 5 months of exposure to various intensities of social stress. Intensity was modified by using different types of caging: Henry-Stephens complex population cages for maximum stress, open field population cages for intermediate levels, and siblings in standard mouse boxes for minimal stress. Two population densities were used: high, with 16 males and 16 females per population cage; and low, with approximately half this number. In three sets of experiments, 58 comparisons were made between body weight, blood pressure, pulse rate, scarring, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), adrenal and heart weights, plasma corticosterone, adult male mortality, and number of weanlings of those on decaffeinated green tea and matched groups on water. Twenty-five of the comparisons indicated less arousal with the decaffeinated green tea and in none was the water favored. Blood pressure fell from 150 to 133 mm Hg. These results support the proposal that the polyphenols (bioflavonoids) of tea may have a beneficial sedative action.