EXPLORATION OF BIOACTIVE COMPONENTS IN HAWAIIAN MAMAKI TEA WITH POTENTIAL TO MODULATE VASCULAR INFLAMMATION

The goal of this study is to identify the bioactive constituents of mamaki leaves and elucidate the mechanisms of action. Objective 1 is to identify the bioactive compounds in mamaki tea extracts and to explore the mechanisms by which these bioactive compounds exert their anti-inflammatory effects in human aortic endothelial cells. Objective 2 is to examine whether dietary mamaki tea extracts can ameliorate the development of atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice and to explore the effects of dietary mamaki on the association between the gut microbiome and vascular inflammation.