Green Tea seen to fight HIV!
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In test-tube experiments, a component of green tea was found to have blocked the ability of the AIDS virus to hijack and destroy immune-system cells, scientists from Houston and the United Kingdom say. Green tea's benefits stem from a substance called epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG. EGCG is a flavonoid, a compound that gives green tea its color, and has anti-cancer, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. EGCG-based cancer drugs already are in clinical trials.
It also holds some promise in fighting HIV - though nobody's recommending it yet for AIDS prevention or treatment. |
For at least a decade, researchers have known the EGCG molecule inhibits the progression of HIV in lab experiments - but they didn't understand precisely why.
Now, work by Baylor College of Medicine and University of Sheffield, UK, scientists shows how the EGCG molecule binds to the exact spot HIV needs to infect a healthy T-cell, a type of white blood cell critical to fighting infections.
Under normal circumstances, HIV does its dirty work via an "envelope" or surface protein called gp120, which locks into a special "pocket" on the surface of susceptible host cells called CD4 T-cells. After that fusion, HIV releases its genetic material into the healthy cell. The infected cell then begins churning out the next generation of viruses.
But not if the green tea-derived molecule plugs up that pocket, leaving HIV no way to get inside.
Baylor pediatrics instructor Dr. Christina Nance, research supervisor for allergy and immunology at Texas Children's Hospital, said she and her colleagues used a fairly new approach involving nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. That method allowed them to "see" structures by which EGCG, gp120 and CD4 molecules bind together. Participating in the research were Dr. Theron McCormick and Dr. William Shearer from Baylor, and Mike Williamson of the University of Sheffield.
Using spectroscopy, Nance and her colleagues observed the frequencies emitted by the hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen atoms that make up the molecules they are studying. They paired the CD4 molecule with the HIV surface protein gp120, then paired the CD4 molecule with green tea's EGCG.
Frequency data fed into a computer produced a molecular model showing EGCG and HIV shared the same "binding pocket" on the CD4 T-cell.
"One of the promising factors is, that because this is a small molecule and binds to the same exact binding pocket as (HIV's) gp120, it may not inhibit the (normal) function of the CD4 molecule," Nance said.
Nance found the amount of EGCG needed to inhibit HIV progression in the laboratory was the equivalent of the amount achieved by drinking two cups of green tea.
Much more research is needed to move Nance's observation toward drug development.
In the meantime, Nance doesn't recommend that people chug large quantities of green tea in hopes of preventing infection with HIV.
"It would be part of a cocktail of drugs," Nance said. Current HIV treatment consists of multiple drugs, or "cocktails" that block different parts of the virus's life cycle. |
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Green Tea Benefits Trivia:
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EGCG or epigallocatechin gallate is the most abundant antioxidant catechin in green tea. It is found in high amounts in this beverage as the green tea leaves undergo very minimal amounts of oxidation. EGCG in green tea has exceptional anti-inflammatory and immune strengthening properties. Read more about EGCG here. Green tea is often classified as one of the so-called 'superfoods' due to its wealth of health-boosting components that may help fight a wide array of ailments and diseases. 'Superfood' is the term used to describe foods with high antioxidant and phytonutrient content. Go here to find a list of 'superfoods'. Vitamin C is said to help the body absorb more of the antioxidant content of green tea. New studies have shown that taking citrus juices, like those of oranges and lemons, along with green tea enable more of the tea's antioxidants to remain after the digestion process is completed. Read more about Vitamin C here. Antioxidants in green tea help fight the ravages of free radicals that are seen as the source of many of today's debilitating diseases. Did you know that aside from the catechins that are so abundant in green tea, there are many other types of antioxidants? Discover them all here. Green tea is said to help in lowering calories and fighting fat. This seeming ability to aid in weight loss is attributed to the polyphenols found in the beverage. Read more about green tea's fat-fighting abilities here. The Japanese and the people from the Meditteranean have some of the world's longest life expectancy rates. And while the Japanese look to green tea as their favorite after-meal drink, the Mediterranean peoples love to have red wine after their meals. Green tea and red wine? Could any two beverages be any more different? Discover what makes red wine a healthy drink when taken in moderation here. The quality of the water used to brew the tea is very important. It is believed that the water used must be free of contaminants and contain enough oxygen to enhance the natural flavor of the tea. Teas made with pure water yield a crisp flavor and a clear brew that is aesthetically pleasant. Learn more about the health benefits of water here.
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