Alcohol free Red Wine or Liquid Green Tea Concentrate prevent H pylori from causing inflammation in the stomach

H pylori is a bacterium that infects the lining of the stomach often leading to gastritis, duodenitis, peptic ulcers, and sometimes cancer. The bacterium releases a protein called VacA that causes gastritis and ulceration; some sources state that only 50% of the strains of H pylori create this protein. Research is showing that specific polyphenols block the effects of VacA and may be useful in preventing inflammation caused by the bacterium.

In this study mice were infected with H pylori. A second group of mice were given the bacterial toxin VacA. Groups of the mice were then treated with an alcohol free Red Wine Concentrate or a liquid Green Tea Concentrate. Both the Green Tea Extract and the Alcohol Free Red Wine significantly prevented gastritis and limited the ability of the bacteria to attach to the stomach lining. The supplements also prevented VacA from attaching to the stomachs lining. Both supplements significantly prevented damage to the lining of the stomach caused by VacA. Green Tea Extract liquid had additional ability to prevent the VacA from concentrating in the lining of the stomach. This research supports the relevance of dietary ingredients in affecting the pathology caused by dangerous strains of H pylori infection. The study is published in the January 21st, 2007 issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology.

Large Concentrations of Green Tea Polyphenols needed for cancer prevention

The cancer-preventive activity of tea constituents have been demonstrated in many animal models including cancer of the skin, lung, mouth, esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, small intestine, colon, bladder, prostate, and breast. EGCG is the most abundant, most active, and most well studied polyphenol ingredient. Large amounts of EGCG would need to be consumed to attain the amounts used to attain the effects seen in cellular studies; the normal level found in tea may not match the results achieved in studies. Epidemiological studies based on normal consumption of tea constituents do not correspond to the levels used in research and are not conclusive. EGCG and tea constituents may still be used for prevention of cancer at selected organ sites if sufficient concentrations of the agent can be delivered to these organs. This interesting review is published in the November 29th, 2006 issue of the journal Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.