Tea contains various bactericidal components. Modern research has found that organic compounds such as alcohols, aldehydes, esters, and phenols in tea have antibacterial effects, though their mechanisms of action differ—some interfere with bacterial metabolism, while others cause denaturation of bacterial proteins. Additionally, organic compounds in tea such as sulfur, iodine, chlorine, and chlorides also possess anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties. Most of these substances are water-soluble and can be infused into the tea broth, making tea drinking beneficial for combating bacteria. The bactericidal effect of tea is sometimes due to a single component, but more often it results from the combined action of multiple compounds, all without toxic side effects.
In daily life, does the tea we regularly drink trigger inflammation or combat it? The answer is clear: drinking tea helps fight inflammation.
China has long used tea in formulations to treat oral inflammations, such as recurrent oral ulcers, mouth sores, oral inflammation, dental caries, periodontitis, gum bleeding, tongue pain, and bad breath. Since 1996, oral care products like anti-cavity and deodorizing toothpaste, chewing gum, and sprays have been available on the market, with tea polyphenols as their main active ingredient.
Tea polyphenols and tea pigments (theaflavins, thearubigins, theabrownins) in tea possess various physiological functions, with anti-inflammatory effects being one of the most significant. Currently, over 340 English-language papers and 30 Chinese-language papers have been published on the relationship between tea and inflammation. Studies show that active components in tea (tea polyphenols, tea pigments) are highly effective in treating general inflammation, nephritis, oral inflammation, and skin inflammation, demonstrating notable anti-inflammatory effects. The anti-inflammatory mechanisms of tea are related to its comprehensive actions, including inhibition of inflammatory factors, immune regulation, antioxidant properties, and antibacterial effects.
Existing research proves that tea polyphenols can prevent and treat periodontitis. Healthy subjects who rinsed and brushed their teeth with a 0.2% tea polyphenol solution showed significant reductions in plaque and gingival indices. Examination of bacteria in the periodontal pockets of patients with periodontitis using 1% tea polyphenol toothpaste demonstrated a notable decrease in the total bacterial count, bacilli, spirochetes, and the proportion of spirochetes in gingival crevicular fluid, confirming tea polyphenols' efficacy in preventing and treating periodontitis. During inflammatory responses, the invasion of cells and their toxins (such as bacterial lipopolysaccharides), the aggregation and activation of white blood cells and macrophages, and increased expression of inflammatory factors lead to local or even systemic inflammation. Tea polyphenols inhibit the production of inflammatory factors, providing protection to infected periodontal tissues while preventing and treating periodontitis by suppressing plaque and pathogenic bacteria.
Active components in tea, such as tea polyphenols and tea pigments, can inhibit inflammation in the skin and other areas. Oral intake and topical application of tea polyphenols can counteract skin damage caused by ultraviolet radiation. As potent natural antioxidants, tea polyphenols and tea pigments effectively清除 excess oxygen free radicals produced in the skin, inhibit inflammatory bacteria and factors in the skin, and provide excellent therapeutic effects for skin inflammation.
In daily life, regular drinkers of ripe Pu-erh tea often find it effective in treating gastritis and enteritis, though the mechanism was unclear. Recent research results indicate that theabrownins in ripe Pu-erh tea significantly inhibit inflammatory factors.
Research by Dr. Sheng Jun and others at Yunnan Agricultural University shows that tea polyphenols and tea pigments inhibit inflammatory factors through different mechanisms. Aqueous extracts of Pu-erh tea, black tea, and green tea can inhibit the activity of inflammatory factors interleukin (IL-6, IL-1β), while the macromolecular theabrownins precipitated under acidic conditions exhibit even stronger inhibitory effects on IL-6 and IL-1β activity. This discovery lays the foundation for understanding how drinking ripe Pu-erh tea treats gastrointestinal inflammation and further unraveling the molecular mechanisms behind Pu-erh tea's efficacy in inhibiting inflammation.
Inflammation is the root cause of many diseases. Scientific research has proven that infections and inflammation are closely related to the onset of certain tumors. Viruses, bacteria, and pathogens can induce tumors, such as cervical, liver, and gastrointestinal cancers. Chronic inflammation can promote the occurrence and development of cancer and is involved in various pathological processes of cancer, including initiation, growth, and metastasis. Some propose that cancer is also a chronic inflammatory disease.
In patients with type 2 diabetes, inflammatory factors (such as IL-6, IL-1β) are abnormally elevated, and chronic inflammation is considered a significant trigger for type 2 diabetes. A U.S. study comparing 651 newly diagnosed diabetes cases with 643 non-diabetic controls found that, after adjusting for factors like age, gender, and race, the relative risks of diabetes associated with four inflammatory markers were: IL-6: 1.7, CRP: 2.1, serum orosomucoid: 1.5, sialic acid: 2.3. The conclusion was that a mild chronic inflammatory state exists before the onset of diabetes and predicts the development of diabetes in adults.
Recent research by Dr. Sheng Jun shows that type 2 diabetic mice (db) drinking instant Pu-erh tea did not exhibit inflammatory responses (infection symptoms), whereas the control group not drinking instant Pu-erh tea showed infection symptoms and a significant increase in inflammatory factors. These findings indicate that Pu-erh tea can effectively prevent the occurrence of inflammation.
Drinking tea can effectively prevent and treat inflammation, and regular tea consumption is beneficial for preventing various diseases triggered by inflammation.