Summary
Millennia-old experience with application of tea extracts as an external treatment
prove beneficial in the treatment of inflammatory lesions of various origins, in particular
but also in the context of venous disorders. The legends that abound in the discovery
of tea are innumerable. One tells of how a coincidence the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung
(2737 BC), who took great care to ensure cleanliness and cooked for this reason his
drinking water, the tea flavour brought: A gust of wind blew some tea leaves into
the kettle with boiling water, this golden colored it and gave him a pleasant aroma.
The emperor tasted the drink and felt refreshed. Tea was then the drink in the „Middle
Kingdom“, just as long – but probably even longer – it is used there as a remedy.
Later in the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) tea was discovered as a commodity, and it developed
into a vibrant China's tea trade with its neighbors, this time the tea was probably
also brought about by land to Europe. A wide distribution in the population took place
in Europe but only after the first tea transport from Japan to Amsterdam with sailboats
in 1610. The application of (herbal) tea extracts in the context of compresses for
the treatment of skin diseases was embedded in the population in Europe but much earlier.
So this is described in the books of Hildegard von Bingen (*1098; † September 17,
1179). Nowadays, the application of black tea extract in the topical treatment of
inflammatory and infectious diseases in traditional medicine is widespread and established
in dermatology, paediatrics, combustion medicine, radiotherapy, gynaecology and allergology.
The beneficial in the treatment of inflammatory lesions applies also to skin affections
in the context of venous disorders. This could be demonstrated here in a not placebo
controlled, non-randomized study: The treatment of 40 patients with inflammatory skin
changes at the lower legs, mostly in the context of venous disorders, with black tea
compresses started on the first day of patient contact and was always carried out
in addition to a causal treatment of the underlying disease. In no case there was
a worsening of the findings. In all cases a fast decay of redness, oozing, erosion,
itching, pain, tenderness and edema within 2 to 3 days was observed after initiation
of treatment.
An analysis of the evidence for the mechanisms of action by review of the extensive
literature shows that well-founded knowledge on anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial,
analgesic, anticancer, differentiation-promoting and antiaging properties is available.
A detailed description of the pathophysiologic findings on the various effects is
thus given. Conclusion: The good tolerability of this treatment combined with good
effect, especially in combination with other therapies and the experience of probably
millions of people for many centuries is a recommendation to apply this treatment
more frequently, particularly as an adjunctive treatment of inflammatory lesions.
The findings on the protective effects against chemical, physical and microbial aggressions
mean that tea extracts can be potent agents in the prevention of skin diseases in
the context of chemical loads in the (working) life, of natural and unnatural radiation
exposure and in people with a tendency for inflammatory skin diseases such as eczema
appear to seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis or vitiligo. Moreover, there is evidence
that tea extracts are able to stop the skin aging process, not only, but even reverse
it. All these arguments are sufficient as a reason for a more frequent use of tea
and tea extracts in the treatment and prevention of skin diseases.
Treatment protocol: Preparation of tea compresses: Take tea bags individually or 4
in 500 ml of water or 5 teaspoons tea leaves ~ 10 g tea leaves in 500 ml water. Bring
water to boil. Pour tea leaves / tea bags with hot water and wait more than 10 (to
30) minutes, strain tea leaves, remove bags, cool tea and tea bags (e. g. in a refrigerator
at 8° C). Application of tea compresses: Put cool, damp (not dripping-wet) tea bags
of affected skin or for larger affectes skin areas soak ironed handkerchief or cotton
cloth with cold tea and put it cool, damp (not dripping-wet) to the affected skin,
e. g. wrap the affected extremity. Do not forget to put inferior to it an old towel
or paper for tea stains strongly yellow-brown! Leave tea bags or tea compresses for
5 to 15 min to take effect. Repeat treatment 2–3x/day until acute symptoms are relieved
or disappeared.
Zusammenfassung
Jahrtausende alte Erfahrung mit Anwendung von Teeextrakten als äußerliche Behandlung
bewähren sich bei der Behandlung entzündlicher Hautveränderungen unterschiedlicher
Genese insbesondere auch im Rahmen von Venenerkrankungen. Dies konnte in der hier
vorgestellten nicht Placebo-kontrollierten, nicht randomisierten Studie nachgewiesen
werden.
Eine Analyse der Erkenntnisse zum Wirkmechanismus zeigt, dass bereits fundierte Erkenntnisse
zu antientzündlichen, antimikrobiellen, analgetischen, antitumorösen, differenzierungsfördernden
und Anti-agingEigenschaften vorliegen. Schlussfolgerung: Die gute Verträglichkeit
dieser Behandlungsart gepaart mit guter Wirkung insbesondere in Kombination mit anderen
Therapien und die Erfahrungen an vermutlich Millionen von Menschen seit zahlreichen
Jahrhunderten sind eine Empfehlung, diese Behandlung häufiger und besonders als Begleittherapie
von entzündlichen Hautveränderungen anzuwenden. Die Erkenntnisse zur protektiven Wirkung
gegen chemische, physikalische und mikrobielle Aggressionen lassen Teeextrakte als
potente Wirkstoffe in der Prävention von Hauterkrankungen im Rahmen von chemischen
Belastungen im (Arbeits-)Alltag, bei natürlicher und unnatürlicher Strahlenbelastung
und bei Menschen mit Neigung zu entzündlichen Hauterkrankungen wie der Neurodermitis,
dem seborrhoischen Ekzem, der Psoriasis oder der Vitiligo erscheinen. Darüber hinaus
liegen Anhaltspunkte vor, dass Teeextrakte Alterungsprozesse der Haut nicht nur aufzuhalten,
sondern sogar umzukehren. Alle diese Argumente sind Grund genug, Tee und Teeextrakte
in der Behandlung und Prävention von Hauterkrankungen häufiger einzusetzen. In der
gegenwärtig Evidenz-gläubigen Medizin sind bei aktuell niedrigem Evidenzgrad der Erkenntnisse
(Grad 3) weitergehende Untersuchungen in randomisierten, Placebo-kontrollierten Studien
wünschenswert.
Keywords Tea - compress - skin - dermatitis - antiinflammatory activity - antimicrobial activity
- antitumor effect - anti-aging
Schlüsselwörter Tee - Umschlag - Haut - Dermatitis - antientzündliche Wirkung - antimikrobielle Wirkung
- antitumoröse Wirkung - Antiaging
