A NEW preclinical study reveals that matcha may be more effective than traditional green tea in alleviating radiation-induced intestinal injury, offering promising implications for supportive cancer care.
The study investigated the effects of matcha and green tea in female Wistar rats exposed to 4 Gy of gamma radiation, a common side effect in patients undergoing radiotherapy. Both teas were administered orally for 14 days at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight, and their impact on key inflammatory markers and the TAK1–TAB signalling pathway was evaluated.
Results showed that both matcha and green tea reduced levels of pro-inflammatory markers such as TNF-α, IL-1β, TGF-β, TAK1, NF-κB, and COX-2 in intestinal tissue. However, matcha demonstrated superior anti-inflammatory effects across nearly all measured biomarkers, suggesting a stronger capacity to mitigate intestinal damage at the cellular level.
Histological analysis further supported these findings, showing improved tissue structure in the matcha-treated group compared to green tea and untreated irradiated controls.
The authors propose that matcha’s higher concentration of bioactive compounds, including catechins and chlorophyll, may underlie its enhanced therapeutic effects. These findings highlight the potential of matcha as a natural adjunct therapy to reduce gastrointestinal toxicity in patients undergoing radiotherapy.
Further studies in humans are needed, but this research opens new avenues for dietary support strategies in cancer care.
Reference
Mostafa DM et al. Matcha (Camellia sinensis) VS. Green Tea in Alleviating Gamma Irradiation-Induced Intestinal Injury Via Tak-1-Tabs Pathway in Wistar Rats. Pharm Chem J. 2025;DOI: 10.1007/s11094-025-03318-y.
