Photoprotective effects of green tea polyphenols.
Non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common malignancy in humans and is equivalent to the incidence of malignancies in all other organs combined in the United States. Current methods of prevention depend on sunscreens in humans, efficacy of which is largely undetermined for non-melanoma skin cancers. Green tea polyphenols have the greatest effect with respect to chemoprevention and have been found to be most potent at suppressing the carcinogenic activity of UV radiation. They protect against many of the other damaging effects of UV radiation such as UV-induced sunburn response, UV-induced immunosuppression and photoaging of the skin. They exert their photoprotective effects by various cellular, molecular and biochemical mechanisms in in vitro and in vivo systems. Green tea polyphenols thus have the potential, when used in conjunction with traditional sunscreens, to further protect the skin against the adverse effects of ultraviolet radiation.
Yusuf
Nabiha
N
Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. nabiha@uab.edu
Irby
Cynthia
C
Katiyar
Santosh K
SK
Elmets
Craig A
CA
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018890:Chemoprevention; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry*; D059808:Polyphenols; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013471:Sunburn / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D059808:Polyphenols; D013473:Sunscreening Agents; D013662:Tea