Is a cup of tea really the answer to everything -- even anthrax?March 13, 2008A cup of black tea could be the next line of defence in the threat of bio-terrorism according to new international research. A new study by an international team of researchers from Cardiff University and University of Maryland has revealed how the humble cup of tea could well be an antidote to Bacillus anthracis -more commonly know as anthrax. As a nation, Brits currently drink 165 million cups of tea, and the healing benefits of the nation's favourite beverage have long been acknowledged.
But now the team of scientists led by Professor Les Baillie from Welsh School of Pharmacy at Cardiff University and Doctor Theresa Gallagher, Biodefense Institute, part of the Medical Biotechnology Centre of the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute in Baltimore, has found that the widely-available English Breakfast tea has the potential to inhibit the activity of anthrax, as long as it is black tea. Anthrax - a potentially fatal human disease - is caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. A very serious and rapidly progressing form of the disease occurs when bacterial spores are inhaled making anthrax a potent threat when used as a biological warfare agent. Published in the March issue of the Society for Applied Microbiology's journal Microbiologist, Professor Baillie said: "Our research sought to determine if English Breakfast tea was more effective than a commercially available American medium roast coffee at killing anthrax. We found that special components in tea such as polyphenols have the ability to inhibit the activity of anthrax quite considerably." The study provides further evidence of the wide range of beneficial physiological and pharmalogical effects of this common household item. The research also shows that the addition of whole milk to a standard cup of tea completely inhibited its antibacterial activity against anthrax. Professor Baillie continued: "I would suggest that in the event that we are faced with a potential bio-terror attack, individuals may want to forgo their dash of milk at least until the situation is under control. "What's more, given the ability of tea to bring solace and steady the mind, and to inactivate Bacillus anthracis and its toxin, perhaps the Boston Tea Party was not such a good idea after all." Cardiff University Science News and Science Current Events Tag Cloud This tag cloud is a visual representation of term frequencies of random science news topics with common terms grouped together and emphasized by their display size. Sea Turtles Preterm Birth Secondhand Smoke Biofilm X-ray Big Bang Cosmic Radiation Sickle Cell Virus Neurotransmitter Quantum Computers Marriage Botulinum Neurotoxin Menopause Radiofrequency Ablation Hepatitis C Liver Disease Stress Nanowire Gene Mutations Cerebral Palsy Junk DNA Diatoms Ischemic Stroke Medical Imaging
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Related Anthrax Current Events and Anthrax News Articles Unexpected discovery can open a new chapter in the fight against tuberculosis A close relative of the microorganism that causes tuberculosis in humans has been found to form spores. Genetic switch potential key to new class of antibiotics Researchers have determined the structure of a key genetic mechanism at work in bacteria, including some that are deadly to humans, in an important step toward the design of a new class of antibiotics. UI chemists' DNA biosynthesis discovery could lead to better antibiotics Combating several human pathogens, including some biological warfare agents, may one day become a bit easier thanks to research reported by a University of Iowa chemist and his colleagues in the April 16 issue of the journal Nature. Scientists discover new chemical reaction for DNA production in bacteria and viruses A team of researchers has discovered a new chemical reaction for producing one of the four nucleotides, or building blocks, needed to build DNA. OHSU scientists partner with others to form center aimed at combating infectious diseases Oregon Health & Science University and the University of Washington, along with a number of partner institutions across the Northwest, have received federal funding to form a regional research center aimed at combating emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases that pose a serious threat to human health. Novel method predicts impact of a covert anthrax release A new statistical method that can estimate the origin and time of an aerosolized release of the pathogen causing anthrax, following detection of the first few cases has been developed by researchers from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modelling at Imperial College London in collaboration with the Health Protection Agency's Microbial Risk Assessment group. Study finds program has improved health agencies' preparedness for bioterror and disease outbreaks A federal program designed to help metropolitan public health agencies prepare to deliver essential medicines to the public after a large-scale bioterror attack or natural disease outbreak has succeeded in improving the level of readiness, according to a new RAND Corporation study. Goodbye needle, hello smoothie Instead of a dreaded injection with a needle, someday getting vaccinated against disease may be as pleasant as drinking a yogurt smoothie. Scripps research scientists engineer new type of vaccination that provides instant immunity The experiments, thus far performed only in mice, appear to overcome a major drawback of vaccinations - the lag time of days, or even weeks, that it normally takes for immunity to build against a pathogen. Good bacteria can be EZ Pass for oral vaccine against anthrax Researchers at North Carolina State University have discovered that the good bacteria found in dairy products and linked to positive health benefits in the human body might also be an effective vehicle for an oral vaccine that can provide immunity to anthrax exposure. More Anthrax Current Events and Anthrax News Articles |
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