Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects more than 2.1 million Americans. It is characterized by joint pain, stiffness, inflammation, swelling, and sometimes joint destruction. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the standard treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, but their prolonged use is associated with adverse effects and discomfort.
Natural plant alternatives like green tea are being investigated for the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Green tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, and its polyphenols (substances rich in antioxidants) possess anti-inflammatory properties.
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine funded investigators at the University of Maryland and Rutgers University examined the effects of green tea polyphenols on rheumatoid arthritis by using an animal model in rats. The rheumatoid arthritis rats consumed green tea in their drinking water (controls drank water only) for 1-to-3 weeks and the researchers found that green tea significantly reduced the severity of rheumatoid arthritis.
The researchers suggest that green tea affects arthritis by causing changes in various arthritis-related immune responses, it suppresses both cytokine IL-17 (an inflammatory substance) and antibodies to Bhsp65 (arthritis inducing protein), and increases cytokine IL-10 (an anti-inflammatory substance).
It was found in another study that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the anti-inflammatory compound found in green tea that inhibits inflammatory responses responsible for rheumatoid arthritis in rats.
References:
1. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
2. Kim HR, Rajaiah R, Wu QL, Satpute SR, Tan MT, Simon JE, Berman BM, Moudgil KD. Green tea protects rats against autoimmune arthritis by modulating disease-related immune events. J Nutr. 2008 Nov;138(11):2111-6. PMID: 18936206.
3. Ahmed S, Marotte H, Kwan K, Ruth JH, Campbell PL, Rabquer BJ, Pakozdi A, Koch AE. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibits IL-6 synthesis and suppresses transsignaling by enhancing soluble gp130 production. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Sep 23;105(38):14692-7. Epub 2008 Sep 16. PMID: 18796608.
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