A NOTE ON THE ANTI-MICROBIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF BLACK TEA
Gargi Saha*, Sudeshna Shyam Choudhury, Utpal Bakshi and P. Mohan Kumar
ABSTRACT
Tea is widely used beverage with medicinal benefits. Black tea is the complete fermented/oxidized form of tea leaves. Black tea contains complex flavonoids called theaflavins and thearubigins, which are responsible for a number of potential health benefits. Antioxidant, anticancerous, antidiabetic effects of theaflavins from black tea was well documented and reviewed. But the antimicrobiological effects of black tea were not extensively reported. Tea flavonoids can act against foodborne and other pathogenic bacteria, virulent protein toxins produced by bacteria, virulent bacteriophages, pathogenic viruses and fungi which includes the bioavalibility of the flavonoids. Moreover the sustenance of antimicrobial potential was also correlated with the shelf life of black tea. In this perspective the focus of this review is to introspect the antibacterial, antiviral, antiprotozoal, antifungal activities of black tea.
Keywords: Black tea, theaflavins, thearubigins, antimicrobial, antiviral, antiprotozoal, antifungal.
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