1. Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; 2. Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
Abstract：In recent years, the emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and the increase of co-infection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis have led to more severe challenges in the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis. It is urgent to develop new anti-tuberculosis drugs and natural adjuvant therapy with low toxicity. The catechins in green tea have a variety of biological activities, and have shown a certain adjuvant therapeutic effect on many diseases. Studies have shown that catechins also have anti-tuberculosis activities, and the mechanisms include inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase, affecting mycolic acid and cell wall synthesis, down-regulation of tryptophan-aspartate containing coat protein (TACO) gene expression to inhibit the growth of intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis, reducing oxidative stress, down-regulation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis 85B and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels to alleviate the inflammation. It is also proved that drinking green tea can reduce the susceptibility to tuberculosis, and catechins can be an adjuvant therapy of tuberculosis and have a synergistic effect with anti-tuberculosis drugs. However, the anti-tuberculosis mechanisms of catechins are unclear, and more trials are needed to confirm the anti-tuberculosis activity of catechins.
2017, Vol. 12 
