For consumers clamoring for natural products to help them stay healthy, recent research on green tea should be good news, indeed. Researchers at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University (OSU) found that Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the primary polyphenol found in green tea, increases the number of regulatory T cells, thereby enhancing immune function and suppressing autoimmune disease
.
“This appears to be a natural, plant-derived compound that can affect the number of regulatory T cells, and in the process improve immune function," said Emily Ho, an LPI principal investigator and associate professor in the OSU Department of Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.
“When fully understood, this could provide an easy and safe way to help control autoimmune problems and address various diseases."
As noted in an OSU press release: “There are many types of cells that have different roles in the immune system, which is a delicate balancing act of attacking unwanted invaders without damaging normal cells. In autoimmune diseases, which can range from simple allergies to juvenile diabetes or even terminal conditions such as Lou Gehrig’s disease, this process goes awry and the body mistakenly attacks itself."
Regulatory T cells are among those that help balance the immune system and help prevent the body from attacking itself. Although the researchers acknowledge that prescription drugs designed for this same purpose are more potent than the EGCG, with green tea, there is little concern about toxicity.
“EGCG may have health benefits through an epigenetic mechanism, meaning we aren’t changing the underlying DNA codes, but just influencing what gets expressed, what cells get turned on," Ho said. “And we may be able to do this with a simple, whole-food approach."
.
“This appears to be a natural, plant-derived compound that can affect the number of regulatory T cells, and in the process improve immune function," said Emily Ho, an LPI principal investigator and associate professor in the OSU Department of Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.
“When fully understood, this could provide an easy and safe way to help control autoimmune problems and address various diseases."
As noted in an OSU press release: “There are many types of cells that have different roles in the immune system, which is a delicate balancing act of attacking unwanted invaders without damaging normal cells. In autoimmune diseases, which can range from simple allergies to juvenile diabetes or even terminal conditions such as Lou Gehrig’s disease, this process goes awry and the body mistakenly attacks itself."
Regulatory T cells are among those that help balance the immune system and help prevent the body from attacking itself. Although the researchers acknowledge that prescription drugs designed for this same purpose are more potent than the EGCG, with green tea, there is little concern about toxicity.
“EGCG may have health benefits through an epigenetic mechanism, meaning we aren’t changing the underlying DNA codes, but just influencing what gets expressed, what cells get turned on," Ho said. “And we may be able to do this with a simple, whole-food approach."
Sources:
- Immunology letters: Induction of regulatory T cells by green tea polyphenol EGCG
- Oregon State University: Mechanism discovered for health benefit of green tea, new approach to autoimmune disease
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment