Green Tea Extract EGCG, A Novel Topical Ingredient for Cold Sore, Scientists Found

Kyle J. Norton 

Green tea may have a therapeutic and positive effect in reduced risk and and treatment of cold sore (herpes simplex labialis infection), some scientists suggested.

Cold sore is common skin disease characterized by tiny blisters that develop on the lips or around the mouth caused by the infection of  herpes simplex virus strain HSV-1 mostly.

Believe or not, over 80% of North American population have herpes 1 virus living permanently in their body without causing any health problem. However, the dormant virus can quickly multiple to affect the skin in the lips if the immune system is weakened or triggered by  certain conditions such as prolonged stress, digestive disorder.

The virus is very contagious, anyone who comes to direct contact with infected person can easily be infected.

Most common symptoms of cold sore include sensations, tingling,,...... pain, or numbness on the lip and skin surround the lip.

Cold sore that appears inside the mouth may be troublesome, as the condition interferes with food injection and speech.

In numbers of severe case, herpes 1 virus may infect the eye, brain, leading to vision loss and certain brain infectious diseases.

Conventional anti viral medicine used for treatment of cold sore may be effective such as  Zovirax, Famvir,..... and valacyclovir, but they can induce certain side effects including digestive discomforts,..., headache, dizziness,.... and tiredness.

In the reaffirmed the efficacy of atechins from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) therapeutic effect on herpes simplex virus infections in vitro and in vivo, researchers conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial with 40 participants.

The aim of the joint study is to clinically evaluate a topical proprietary formulation containing lipophilic catechins (AverTeaX, Camellix, LLC, Evans, GA, USA) on recurrent herpes labialis.

In compared to vehicle group treated with 100% glycerin USP, CVS Pharmacies, Inc., Woonsocket, RI, USA), topical application of AverTeaX applied six to eight times daily showed a strong reduction in clinical episode duration (median 4.5 days vs. 9 days) and shortened blistering and ulceration stages within an episode from a median of 3 days to 1 day.

According to the median quality-of-life scores, AverTeaX treated group demonstrated in respect to duration of itching, from a median of 4 days to 1 day, and duration until symptom free, from a median of 8 days to 4 days.

Interestingly, both groups displayed a similar in median scores for itching, pain, burning, swelling, bleeding, and stress. 

No adverse effects were found in both groups, during the term of study.

Based on these results, Dr. Zhao M, after taking into account of other co founders, said, "AverTeaX formulation containing lipophilic catechins effectively inhibited herpes simplex labialis infection with clinical significance".

Additionally, in further analysis to address the green tea extract in reduced expression of HSV in precipitated risk of skin infection, including cold sore and reconfirmed EGCG anti-oxidant activity in inhibited number of plaques in HIV-infected cultured cells, a study to evaluate the efficacy of modified EGCG palmitoyl-EGCG (p-EGCG), as a topical antiviral agent for Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) infections was conducted.

p-EGCG is not toxic to cultured Vero cells, according to the  cell viability and cell proliferation assays 

According to the results, application of  p-EGCG increased the effectiveness of EGCG as an antiviral agent.

In compared to EGCG topically applied to skin, one of the primary tissues infected by HSV, green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) with palmitate was a more potent inhibitor of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1).

Observation of other assays used in the experiment, p-EGCG concentrations of 50 µM or higher exerted linearly in blocking the production of infectious HSV-1 particles.

These efficacy suggested that p-EGCG may be considered as potent and natural ingredient in inhibited HSV-1 adsorption to Vero cells. 

Thus, p-EGCG may provide a novel treatment for HSV-1 infections, including cold sore.

The findings suggested that topically green tea used combination of other herbal ingredients or green tea extract used alone may have a therapeutic potential in treatment of cold sore caused by herpes simplex virus HSV-1 infection)

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Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrients, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published on line, including world wide health, ezine articles, article base, healthblogs, selfgrowth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bio science, ISSN 0975-6299.

Sources
(1) Topical lipophilic epigallocatechin-3-gallate on herpes labialis: a phase II clinical trial of AverTeaX formula by Zhao M1, Zheng R1, Jiang J1, Dickinson D2, Fu B1, Chu TC3, Lee LH4, Pearl H5, Hsu S6.(PubMed)
(2) Inhibition of Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 with the modified green tea polyphenol palmitoyl-epigallocatechin gallate by Aline de Oliveira,a Sandra D. Adams,b Lee H. Lee,b Sean R. Murray,c Stephen D. Hsu,d Jeffrey R. Hammond,cDouglas Dickinson,d Ping Chen,e and Tin-Chun Chua(PMC)