Tea Geek Speak
October 6, 2022
Drinking Tea’ keep your life Safe and Stronger not only during this Pandemic Period. It’s Anti-tumor, Anti-viral, Anti-inflammatory, Anti-oxidative, and Anti-bacterial.
According to the article PMCID: PMC7367004 – Antiviral activity of green tea and black tea polyphenols in prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19;
“Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is one of the most abundant polyphenolic catechin found in Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze (tea plant), especially in green tea.
EGCG has been tested for its antiviral activity against several viruses and found to be a potential treatment option over synthetic chemical drugs. It is recognized as a multi-functional bioactive molecule exhibiting antitumorigenic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidative, and antiproliferative properties in addition to its antiviral effects (Chacko et al., 2010).
Theaflavins (TFs) are another class of polyphenols found in abundance in black tea.
TFs are being researched for their bioactive properties and are known for their broad-spectrum biological properties, like anti-tumor, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-bacterial properties (Higdon and Frei, 2003; Lambert and Yang, 2003; Yang and Landau, 2000)
Since EGCG and TFs are of natural sources and consumed regularly by a majority of the population, investigating the anti-viral properties of these polyphenols against COVID-19 could be an advancement in finding a treatment to this latest pandemic.
EGCG and TFs are polyphenolic catechins found abundantly in green tea and black tea, respectively with a vast array of health benefits. Their antiviral activities also have been reported against various viral infections. In depth analysis of antiviral activities of EGCG and TFs reveals that both of them are wide spectrum antiviral molecules with no definite interaction sites. They act at different stages of the viral cycle.
To summarize, both the tea polyphenols need further detailed evaluation to validate their anti-COVID-19 applications. TFs, especially TF2b and TF3 can be used as good prophylactic agents owing to their ability to bind to RBD. EGCG and its stable lipophilic derivatives could also be potential prophylactic as well as therapeutic agents looking at their properties to dock to various active sites of SARS-CoV-2.
Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, and developing antiviral polyphenolic molecules from the same is an exciting idea. The FDA has already assigned these polyphenols the coveted GRAS status, which further encourages their use over synthetic toxic antiviral drugs with respect to higher dosages. However, concluding EGCG and TFs as drug candidates on the basis of currently available literature would be an overstatement. Since these polyphenols have no specific activity, we cannot be sure of their targeted activity to the COVID-19 receptors discussed earlier. These might also bind to other proteins in the body and produce side-effects. Establishing compliance with the stringent regulatory affairs for molecules to be deemed drugs over the same molecule as nutraceutical is time consuming and strict. Hence, in the immediate future in terms of application in COVID-19, these molecules may not be used in treatment, but as dietary supplements or nutraceuticals. After extensive studies on these polyphenols regarding their specificity, activity, bioavailability and safety, there can be considerations on their use in treatment of viral infections including COVID-19.”
Please click and read the full article for more information.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7367004/ “Antiviral activity of green tea and black tea polyphenols in prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19“
Have you ever know? Plant can re-make your life. There are plenty of natural remedies boost your immune system and help you to stay healthy.
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