Study on the preventive effect of tea on DNA damage of the buccal mucosa cells in oral leukoplakias induce by cigarette smoking

Alternative Medicine Review, August, 2000

In order to study the preventive effect of tea on DNA damage induced by cigarette smoking and to provide further evidence on the protective effects of tea in human cancer, a 6-month, double-blind and randomized placebo-controlled intervention trial was carried out. The effect of tea on micronuclei frequency in exfoliated oral buccal mucosa cells in 36 oral leukoplakias of smokers was investigated. A kind of mixed tea given in an oral dose of 3 g/ day and a concentration of 0.1% smeared on mucosa lession three times a day for 3 months and 6 months, significantly decreased the micronuclei formation in exfoliated oral buccal mucosa cells in subjects with oral leukoplakias. In contrast, there was no change in the micronuclei frequency after 6 months in the placebo group. The results indicate that mixed tea may reduce the oral cancer risk by preventing DNA damage in oral leukopiakias induced by cigarette smoking.

Li N, Sun Z, Liu Z, Han C. Wei Sheng Yen Chiu 1998;27:173-174.