Li QS, Wang YQ, Liang YR, Lu JL. The anti-allergic potential of tea: a review of its components, mechanisms and risks.
Food Funct 2020;
12:57-69. [PMID:
33241826 DOI:
10.1039/d0fo02091e]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Allergy is an immune-mediated disease with increasing prevalence worldwide. Regular treatment with glucocorticoids and antihistamine drugs for allergy patients is palliative rather than permanent. Daily use of dietary anti-allergic natural products is a superior way to prevent allergy and alleviate the threat. Tea, as a health-promoting beverage, has multiple compounds with immunomodulatory ability. Persuasive evidence has shown the anti-allergic ability of tea against asthma, food allergy, atopic dermatitis and anaphylaxis. Recent advances in potential anti-allergic ability of tea and anti-allergic compounds in tea have been reviewed in this paper. Tea exerts its anti-allergic effect mainly by reducing IgE and histamine levels, decreasing FcεRI expression, regulating the balance of Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg cells and inhibiting related transcription factors. Further research perspectives are also discussed.
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