Pu-erh Tea Ameliorates Atherosclerosis Associated with Promoting Macrophage Apoptosis by Reducing NF-κ B Activation in ApoE Knockout Mice

We explored whether pu-erh tea consumption ameliorates atherosclerosis and the possible mechanism for its effects in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE ^-/- ) mice. Our data showed that pu-erh tea consumption markedly reduced early fatty streak formation and the advanced fibrofatty plaque sizes. Additionally, the mean proportion of inflammatory macrophages in the plaque decreased, and the number of apoptotic macrophages increased significantly. NF-κB activity in peritoneal macrophages decreased by 75.6% compared to the controls, similar with the levels of IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-α expression. The tea extract increased the apoptosis of RAW264.7 cells by decreasing NF-κB activation and reducing the inflammatory cytokine expression. In conclusion, pu-erh tea ameliorates atherosclerosis progress by alleviating the chronic inflammatory state by reducing NF-κB activation and promoting macrophage apoptosis in atherosclerotic plaques.