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Natural Health News — New research has shown that a preparation containing green tea could significantly speed up the healing of cold sores caused by the herpes virus.
Previous research indicates that potent antioxidants called catechins from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) may have a therapeutic effect on viral infections. The aim of this recent study by international scientists, was to clinically evaluate a topical proprietary formulation (AverTeaX®) containing catechins on recurrent cold sores (herpes labialis).
The scientists performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial involving 40people, comparing AverTeaX (an over-the-counter remedy available in the US) against a placebo treatment (100% glycerine). The green tea product or placebo was applied topically 6-8 times daily.
» Green tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world and studies show it has multiple health benefits including boosting metabolism and memory and providing protection from certain cancers.
» Some compounds in green tea, notably catechins, may also have anti-viral effects. This was tested recently in a study which looked at the ability of a green tea preparation to heal cold sores.
» The over the counter preparation AverTeaX which contains green tea extracts produces significant improvements in cold sores, clearing them up in half the time of a glycerine placebo.
Significant benefits
The green tea group experienced a significant reduction in clinical episode duration of cold sore lesions and shortened blistering and ulceration stages within an episode. A multi-question survey designed to understand quality of life issues, showed significant differences between the groups with respect to duration of itching and duration until symptom free. Specifically:
No adverse effects of using this topical product were reported. The researchers concluded that the AverTeaX formulation containing lipophilic catechins effectively inhibited cold sores caused by herpes simplex l infection with clinical significance.
Green tea benefits
After water, tea is the most widely drunk beverage in the world. TEa of course isn’t just a rink, it is a herb and the use of herbs is a time-honoured approach to strengthening the body and treating medical illness.
Green tea has been used as a medicine for thousands of years, originating in China but widely used throughout Asia. It has been shown to have multiple benefits include cognitive improvement, weight loss, diuresis, and prevention of many conditions and diseases such as skin, pancreatic and oral cancers, genital warts, headaches, heart disease, Parkinson disease, dementia, stomach disorders, Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis and hypercholesterolemia.
Green tea has more health benefits than black tea because of how it is processed. Black tea undergoes fermentation, whereas the manufacture of green tea avoids the fermentation process. As a result, green tea retains the maximum amount of antioxidants and polyphenols – such as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) which is known to have anti-infective properties – substances that give green tea its many benefits.
As the list of its medicinal benefits grows it is likely that we will see many more prescription and over-the-counter products, like the one in this study, emerging.
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