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Green Tea, White Tea, Black Tea, And A Parasite

A protozoa parasite called Trypanosoma brucei is transmitted by the tse-tse fly and can cause fatal sleeping sickness in people. Currently, there are an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 cases, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa (WHO, 2005).

A new animal study has tested the action of tea against Trypanosoma brucei.

Using mice infected with T. brucei, researchers found that all animals (untreated controls, green tea, white tea, and black tea groups) showed the same levels of infection for the first 8 days.

However, from day 9 to 13, parasite levels decreased significantly more in tea-treated animals.

By day 11, all teas also showed significant protection against red blood cell destruction. All teas showed significant protection against inflammation by reducing parasite-induced hypoalbuminemia.

Both green tea and white tea were superior to black tea. However, black tea was significantly protective, and by some criteria, approached the protective levels of green tea.

In addition, all teas were more protective than an established anti-inflammatory drug called dexamethasone (Karori SM, Different types of tea products attenuate inflammation induced in Trypanosoma brucei infected mice, Parasitology International, February 2008).