配茶と伝統看護の実践

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  • Green Tea Service and Traditional Nursing Practice

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Abstract

In 20th century Japan, green tea service was provided as part of nursing practice in many hospitals, however, this service has been gradually disappearing owing to various risks, costs, and changes in tastes and preferences. Cancer prevention and antimicrobial activity are some of the well-known biological characteristics of catechins, the polyphenols that are the main component of green tea leaves. We tested the effects of four major catechins in green tea on cultured osteosarcoma cell growth in vitro. The gallate-group of catechins [epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)] is a major constituent of the catechins in green tea, induces apoptotic changes in sarcoma cells. In our bacteriological study, moreover, Salmonella enterica mutants lacking the O side chain and with core oligosaccharides of different lengths were more sensitive to catechins than wild-type bacterial strains (i.e., with intact lipopolysaccharide). Although catechins exhibit antibacterial effects, the numbers of living bacteria in the bottled green tea, gradually increase over time at room temperature. This suggests that risks for bacterial contamination of bottled tea increases over the long period of time. On the other hand, bacterial contamination in sports drinks was found to be almost negligible despite long-term storage after opening. Interestingly, to our knowledge, despite the many advantages outlined above, catechins have not been used to treat any disease. Nevertheless, from the perspective of traditional nursing, we recommend the green tea service in nursing care practice because of following three reasons: physical (it warms the body up), psychological (it has a relaxing effect on the mind), and social (it encourages communication between patients and medical staff).

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