Breakthrough study touts tea's anticancer properties
In a breakthrough study, American researchers have figured out how polyphenols contained in green tea and red wine inhibit cancer growth. The experiment, carried out on mice genetically altered to develop a human prostate cancer tumour, shows that green tea compounds EGCG and polyphenol E disrupt a specific cell-signaling pathway that is often responsible for cancer growth. The finding is important because it may lead to the development of drugs that could stop or slow cancer progression, or improve current treatments. Scientists working on the study are convinced that as long as they are taken in moderation, tea and wine may be ranked among the most potent 'health foods'.