Inhibition of xanthine oxidase by tea extracts obtained from non-fermented tea(steamed green tea and roasted green tea), semi-fermented tea(oolong tea) and fermented tea(black tea) were investigated. The crude catechin fraciton had a hgher inhibitory effect against xanthine oxidase, and the effect was increased with the addition of tea extracts. Their inhibitory effect were hardly influenced until extracted three times with hot water. According to the investigation of catechins in the crude catechin fraction obtained from tea extracts, (-)-epicatechin-(EC), (-)-epicatechin gallate(ECg). (-)-epigallocatechin(EGC) and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate(EGCg) were 80.1$mu extrm{g}$/mg 113.5$mu extrm{g}$ /mg, 186.3$mu extrm{g}$/mg and 367.7$mu extrm{g}$/mg in steamed green tea, and 75.6$mu extrm{g}$/mg, 114.7$mu extrm{g}$/mg, 193.7 $mu extrm{g}$/mg and 381.9$mu extrm{g}$/mg in roasted green tea, and 69.4$mu extrm{g}$/mg, 110.0$mu extrm{g}$/mg, 127.1$mu extrm{g}$.mg and 464.9$mu extrm{g}$/mg in oolong tea, and 78.1$mu extrm{g}$/mg, 171.8$mu extrm{g}$/mg, 80.7$mu extrm{g}$/mg and 51.4$mu extrm{g}$/mg in black tea, respectively. Order of the content of these catechins was (-)-EGCg>(-)-EGC>(-)-ECg>(-)-EC in steamed green tea, roasted green tea and oolong tea, and was (-)-ECg>(-)-EGC>(-)-EC>(-)-EGCg in black tea. Also the concentration of catechins was hardly influeced until extracted three times. The inhibition ratio of xanthine oxidase by autherntic catechins was hardly influenced until extracted three times. The inhibition ratio of xanthine oxidase by authentic catechins was 94.9% and 87.6% by addition of 5.0$mu extrm{g}$/ml of (-)-EGCg and (-)-ECg, respectively. the inhibitors of xanthine oxidase were supposed to be due to (-)-ECg and (-)-EGCg in tea polyphenol compounds.