Posted by 
Tea culture has a long history in China and other Asian countries. Research has proved that drinking tea brings various health benefits. In addition to burning fat and preventing cardiovascular disease, recently, a study showed that the use of nanoparticles extracted from tea can actually destroy lung cancer cells.
Nanoparticle is actually a kind of artificially made microparticles with a size not exceeding 100 nanometers. The morphology can be latex, polymer, ceramic particles, metal particles and carbon particles. In recent years, they have been increasingly used in medicine, cosmetics, environmental protection, even food industry.
Tea, an aromatic beverage, is now popular around the world for its good taste and health care function. According to research, many of the potential beneficial effects of tea against cancer have been attributed to the strong antioxidant activity of tea polyphenols, but in the latest study, scientists created quantum dots, or nanoparticles, from tea extracts, and filled them into nanoprobes to fight lung cancer. The research was published in the journal Applied Nano Materials titled Green-Synthesis-Derived CdS Quantum Dots Using Tea Leaf Extract: Antimicrobial, Bioimaging, and Therapeutic Applications in Lung Cancer Cells.
Many anti-cancer drugs are small hydrophobic molecules. They have low water solubility, high biodegradation, and their lack of specificity in the distribution of organisms as well as off-target toxicity are also obstacles in drug development. In contrast, these tiny particles called quantum dots are completely safe and non-toxic.
The diameter of quantum dots is less than 10 nanometers, which is 400 times thinner than human hair and is usually chemically synthesized. However, the production process of quantum dots is quite complicated and expensive, and may produce a series of toxic effects. Therefore, the researchers explored a kind of non-toxic production alternative based on plant.
Firstly, the tea extract was mixed with chemicals including cadmium sulfate and sodium sulfide. After incubation of these materials, quantum dots were created. Then, they used these dots to fight against cancer cells, and the result showed that nanoparticles have anti-cancer properties similar to Cisplatin, a widely used chemotherapy drug. The result also showed that quantum dots penetrated into the nanopores of cancer cells and destroyed 80% of cancer cells.
“Our research confirmed that these quantum dots can play a positive role in the inhibition of lung cancer cells’ growth.” Introduced by one of the researchers, “And we think quantum dots will have broad prospects for exploring new cancer treatments. On the basis of this discovery, we will do further research in this new cancer treatment hoping to build a quantum dot factory so that we can fully explore the potential application range of quantum dots.”
In conventional treatments, people may receive surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted or combination therapy according to the type of lung cancer and doctor’s diagnosis. This discovery is undoubtedly good news for lung cancer patients for they may have another choice in the future. After all, using green tea to fight cancer will have a very high cost performance without any side effects comparing with other cancer treatments.
Reference:
Kavitha, S., et al. (2018). Green-Synthesis-Derived CdS Quantum Dots Using Tea Leaf Extract: Antimicrobial, Bioimaging, and Therapeutic Applications in Lung Cancer Cells. Applied Nano Materials 4, 1683-1693.