Herbal agents could be of use in treating inflammatory bladder diseases, reveals a preliminary study, conducted to test the ability of green tea in protecting the inflammation of bladder cells.

The University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine Study, discovered that components present in green tea protected the bladder cells from any damage in culture. Green Tea, which has already been associated with various health benefits, is rich in antioxidants, making it a possible solution for many medical problems.

The ‘Catechins’, plant metabolites, provide green tea with many anti-oxidant properties. The Catechins protected both cancerous and normal bladder cells from inflammation when the cells were exposed to hydrogen peroxide. This was revealed when both normal and cancerous bladder cells were exposed to epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), two major catechin components in green tea for twenty three hours. Both protected the cell lining significantly from exposure to hydrogen peroxide, that otherwise kills or damages the cells. The EGCG and ECG concentrations used for the study were of the same amount as that which could be achieved through regular dietary intake.

The researchers concluded that though further studies are required for confirmation, the herbal supplements derived from green tea could be considered as a possible treatment option for various bladder conditions caused inflammation or injury.

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