Green Tea Good for Topical Use

Green Tea Good for Topical Use

CHICAGO--In the August issue of The Archives of Dermatology (136:989-94), a critical summary was conducted on studies based on green tea and its effects on cancer. A synthesis of the data found that polyphenols found in green tea may prevent, but not cure, cancer.

Polyphenolic compounds[epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG] from green tea were tested against chemical carcinogenesis and photocarcinogenesis in the skin of mice. Studies have shown that mice exposed to ultraviolet light and fed green tea or had EGCG applied to their skin were protected from the reddening, blistering and cell division associated with the early stages of skin cancer. More clinical studies are needed, but the paper's lead author suggested that green tea supplementation in skin care products may "profoundly" impact skin disorders. For more information, visithttp://archderm.ama-assn.org.