White tea beats green tea in fighting germs

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Public release date: 25-May-2004

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-05/asfm-rwt051804.php

Contact: Jim Sliwa

jsliwa@...

202-942-9297

American Society for Microbiology

White tea beats green tea in fighting germs

NEW ORLEANS – May 25, 2004 -- New studies conducted at Pace

University have indicated that White Tea Extract (WTE) may have

prophylactic applications in retarding growth of bacteria that cause

Staphylococcus infections, Streptococcus infections, pneumonia and

dental caries. Researchers present their findings today at the 104th

General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

" Past studies have shown that green tea stimulates the immune system

to fight disease, " says Milton Schiffenbauer, Ph.D., a microbiologist

and professor in the Department of Biology at Pace University's Dyson

College of Arts & Sciences and primary author of the research. " Our

research shows White Tea Extract can actually destroy in vitro the

organisms that cause disease. Study after study with tea extract

proves that it has many healing properties. This is not an old wives

tale, it's a fact. "

White tea was more effective than green tea at inactivating bacterial

viruses. Results obtained with the bacterial virus, a model system;

suggest that WTE may have an anti-viral effect on human pathogenic

viruses. The addition of White Tea Extract to various toothpastes

enhanced the anti-microbial effect of these oral agents.

Studies have also indicated that WTE has an anti-fungal effect on

Penicillium chrysogenum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the presence

of WTE, Penicillium spores and Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells

were totally inactivated. It is suggested that WTE may have an anti-

fungal effect on pathogenic fungi.

Several findings in the new study are of particular interest:

The anti-viral and anti-bacterial effect of white tea (Stash and

Templar brands) is greater than that of green tea.

The anti-viral and anti-bacterial effect of several toothpastes

including Aim, Aquafresh, Colgate, Crest and Orajel was enhanced by

the addition of white tea extract.

White tea extract exhibited an anti-fungal effect on both Penicillium

chrysogenum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

White tea extract may have application in the inactivation of

pathogenic human microbes, i.e., bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

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This release is a summary of a presentation from the 104th General

Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, May 23-27, 2004, in

New Orleans, Louisiana. Additional information on these and other

presentations at the 104th ASM General Meeting can be found online at

http://www.asm.org/Media/index.asp?bid=27289 or by contacting Jim

Sliwa (jsliwa@...) in the ASM Office of Communications. The

phone number for the General Meeting Press Room is 504-670-4240 and

will be active from 12:00 noon CDT, May 23 until 12:00 noon CDT, May

27.