Green tea as a nutraceutical: The latest developments

Abstract

Green tea processed from Camellia sinensis leaves is a common beverage with enormous medicinal importance. The accumulating evidences derived from in vitro, animal studies and human trials say loud for its diverse therapeutic potentials. The polyphenol rich tea extract has been validated to offer benefits as cancer prevention, amelioration of diabetes side-effects, cardiovascular safety, cognitive boost, promotion of weight loss, skin care, allergy suppression, protection from osteoarthritis, prebiotics etc. The flavanols, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and epigallocatechin (EGC) have been identified to confer most of the biological effects. This review has been composed to keep track of the recent breakthroughs in this rapidly evolving area of dietary supplements. Mechanisms of functionality have been mentioned where ever deemed essential.