Abstract:Objective To determine the effect of the extract of Shiliang tea (a traditional tea from Anhua county, Hunan Province, China) on the senescence cells induced by oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and investigate the underlying potential mechanism. Methods Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured in the DMEM containing 10% bovine serum, and then treated with ox-LDL to establish the model of senescent cells. β-galactose glucoside enzyme staining was used to evaluate the senescence of the endothelial cells. Simvastatin (10μmol/L, positive control) and different doses of the extract of Shiliang tea (1.0,2.5 and 5.0g/L) were used to treat the cells before ox-LDL inducement. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and the activities of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) and telomerase in culture medium were detected. Results In the senescence model of the endothelial cells induced by ox-LDL, the amount of positive cells of β-galactose glucoside enzyme staining was significantly increased, the levels of ROS and ADMA were enhanced, and the activities of DDAH and telomerase were reduced. However, the pretreatment of the extract of Shiliang tea restrained the process apparently (P＜0.05). Conclusion The extract of Shiliang tea plays a restraining role in the senescence process of endothelial cells induced by ox-LDL, which might be through reducing the levels of ROS and ADMA and improving the activities of DDAH and telomerase.