Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Tea plant

What is it about?

Many complementary and alternative medicines have enjoyed increased popularity in recent decades. Efforts to validate their use have seen their putative therapeutic properties, which come under increasing scrutiny in vitro and in some cases in vivo. One of such products is tea and its tree oil (TTO); which is a secondary metabolite derived from tea plant (Melaleuca alternifolia). Both black and green tea has several polyphenolic compounds with possible antibacterial effects. It is employed largely due to its antimicrobial properties, and is incorporated as the active ingredient in many topical formulations used to treat cutaneous infections, in addition to being marketed as a remedy for various ailments. The essential oil of M. alternifolia exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial potential. The TTO may help to treat severe yeast infections. Results also suggested that TTO exerts a greater bactericidal potency against biofilm-grown methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and methicillin-sensitive Staph. aureus (MSSA) strains. Moreover, tea has inhibitory efficacy against the carcinogenic bacteria.

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