Oolong tea & recalcitrant atopic dermatitis - Shorts - Brief Article

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  May, 2003  by Jule Klotter

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A Japanese study published in Archives of Dermatology (2001;137:42-43) reported that drinking oolong tea reduced itching and inflammation in people with recalcitrant atopic dermatitis. Oolong tea, also called brown tea, is less fermented than black tea. The researchers noted that animal studies have already shown that tea (green, oolong, and black) suppresses some allergic reactions. In this study, patients were asked to steep a 10-g tea hag in 1 liter of boiling water and drink one-third of the brew after each meal during the day. (The abstract does not explain why the researchers choose to use oolong tea.) Two or three representative lesion sites were photographed and assessed at baseline, 1 mo. later, and at 6 months: 118 out of 121 patients completed the study. After drinking the tea for one month, 74 (68%) of the 118 patients showed "marked to moderate improvement." At the 6-month assessment, 64 patients (54%) showed a good response to the tea regimen. The researchers attribute the effect to "the antiall ergic properties often polyphenols."

The study came to my attention because of a letter to Joe and Terry Graedon's (The People's Pharmacy) newspaper column. The writer had suffered with nummular eczema (characterized by coin-shaped, red, itchy patches on the skin) for years. Benadryl, prednisone, and topical cortisone ointments had no effect. Within 24 hours of drinking oolong tea, the writer states that itchiness and inflammation disappeared and the lesions were gone within a few days.

Uehara, Masami, MD; Sugiura, Hisashi, MD: Sakurai, Kensei, MD. A Trial of Oolong Tea in the Mgmt. of Recalcitrant Atopic Dermatitis. Arch Dermatol. 2001;137:42-43; http:/archderm.ama-assn.org/issues/vl37n1/abs/dst00024.html

Craedon, Joe & Terry. Oolong tea banishes bad skin problem in a couple of days. The Herald-Sun (Durham NC) January 23, 2003

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