Journal of Tea Science Research, 2025, Vol.15, No.1, 30-37 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/jtsr 34 5.2 Application of tea bioactives in medicinal food products Polyphenols and other bioactives of tea are increasingly incorporated into medicinal food products for the management of inflammation-related disorders. Anti-inflammatory potential of herbal teas containing phenolics has been reported to reduce inflammatory markers and can be utilized as preventive or adjuvant dietary treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases (Oliveira et al., 2017; Sattar, 2020; Taran et al., 2020). Tea extracts are utilized in food products owing to their safety profile and broad spectrum of bioactivity. 5.3 Potential value of tea-derived anti-inflammatory compounds in skin health and cosmetics Tea extracts, most notably green tea, have also demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in skin models, including the inhibition of UVB-induced cytokine production in keratinocytes (Keet et al., 2017). These findings herald promising applications for tea-derived products in skincare and cosmetic products for inflammation, redness, and oxidative stress. 5.4 Synergistic anti-inflammatory effects with other natural products or pharmaceuticals Blending tea with other herbal ingredients, e.g., babul or peppermint, can create synergistic anti-inflammatory effects greater than the sum of the parts (Varshini et al., 2023). Blends like these may enhance efficacy in functional foods, supplements, or as add-on treatments to pharmaceuticals, creating new possibilities for integrative health interventions. 6 Challenges in Tea Anti-inflammatory Research 6.1 Complexity of active compounds and variability in effects Tea contains a multicomponent collection of bioactive compounds—e.g., polyphenols, flavonoids, and other phytochemicals-whose composition and concentrations individually can vary extensively among the varieties and even batches of tea. This variability makes it difficult to identify individual compounds with the desired anti-inflammatory activity and standardize tea preparations for scientific or clinical use. For example, the anti-inflammatory activity of teas is highly related to their phytochemical profile and, indeed, the same teas can have different effects depending on their phenolic profile and the presence of specific aglycones or glycosides (Oliveira et al., 2017). Some teas can even have double mechanisms, inducing or inhibiting inflammation according to context and concentration (Chen et al., 2017). 6.2 Influence of different processing methods on compounds and efficacy Processing methods—such as fermentation, drying, and blending-radically alter the chemical composition of tea, affecting both the character and amount of active constituents. For instance, green, black, oolong, and white teas each have varying phytochemical profiles due to differences in processing that also influence their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity (Liu et al., 2018). Mixing teas or infusions with other plants can enhance or, in some cases, diminish effectiveness, making it even more difficult to evaluate their health values (Xia et al., 2020; Malongane et al., 2022). 6.3 Insufficient clinical evidence and inter-individual variability While in vitro and animal models consistently demonstrate anti-inflammatory activity, they are few and weak in human clinical trials. Preclinical data dominate, and transfer to human disease outcomes is uncertain. Responses to tea consumption may also be determined by genetic, metabolic, and lifestyle factors, and thus are not readily generalizable or to recommend single interventions (Chen et al., 2017; Malongane et al., 2022). 6.4 Uncertainties regarding dosage, safety, and long-term intervention effects Doses for anti-inflammatory effects are not well established, and the safety of long-term high-dose tea or tea extract consumption is not well established. It is noted in some reports that certain teas or their combinations may have cytotoxic effects at higher concentrations, and the long-term effect of chronic consumption—especially in supplement or concentrated forms—should be assessed (Malongane et al., 2022). Further studies are also warranted on potential interactions with medications and other dietary components.
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