EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate), a powerful antioxidant in green tea can delay or prevent the onset of type 1 diabetes, according to researchers from the Medical College of Georgia.

This predominant antioxidant in green tea was tested on a laboratory mouse with type 1 diabetes and primary Sjogren’s syndrome that leads to dry mouth and eyes by damaging glands producing moisture.

From Sciencedaily.com:

The proliferation phenomenon also can be observed in psoriasis, an autoimmune disease affecting the skin and joints, says Dr. Hsu. “Normal skin cells turn over every 30 days or so, but skin cells with psoriasis turn over every two or three days.” Dr. Hsu’s group previously found that green tea polyphenols, including EGCG, inhibited rapid proliferation in an animal model for human psoriasis.

“We never thought proliferation was going on to this extent in the salivary gland, but we now believe it is tightly associated with Sjogren’s syndrome,” he says.

The next step is to observe Sjogren’s syndrome in human salivary gland samples to determine whether the study findings hold up in humans.

“If the abnormal expression of these genes is the same in humans as in the animal model, then the second stage will be intervention and treatment with a pure form of EGCG,” says Dr. Hsu.

“The benefit of using green tea in preventing or slowing these autoimmune diseases is that it’s natural and not known to harm the body,” says Dr. Gillespie, periodontics chief resident at Fort Gordon’s Tingay Dental Clinic. “EGCG doesn’t have the negative side-effects that can be associated with steroids or other medications that could otherwise be prescribed.”

This study supported a previous research displaying impact of EGCG on helping prevent autoimmune diseases and was published in an issue of Life Sciences.