The Biosciences and Biotechnology department at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IITG) has claimed to have detected immunomodulatory properties, anti-viral and anti-tumour effects in preliminary studies on tea made of Cymbopogon Citrates or lemongrass.
The research team at the viral immunology laboratory at IITG conducted several studies in Cymbopogon Citrates (CC) Tea using Japanese encephalitis (JEV) and Influenza virus as a model, said a release.
In the initial report shared by IITG, it was observed that CC Tea was non-toxin at high concentration, that it had shown positive responses and pointed towards boosting the innate immunity, it said.
Assistant professor, IITG,Sachin Kumar said that there was ample scope for research in this area and it was early stages, the initial tests showed promising results, so they would continue with further experiments and the finding would be shared at an appropriate time, it added.
Following the findings, CC Tea entered into a one-year research collaboration with IITG to further advance this breakthrough discovery to develop advanced therapeutic in three core areas - namely, immunomodulatory effect, anti-viral and anti-tumour properties, and product development, it said.
Chairman and CEO, CC Tea, Ragesh Keisham said that they always believed that CC Tea was unique with multiple health benefits and was happy to be validated by IITG, it mentioned.
He continued that while the world was busy fighting to find a cure for COVID-19, it was their mission to fight for the remaining 99 percent of the population not yet affected by preventing them from the pandemic, the release said.
CC Tea, manufactured by SuiGeneris Agronomy private limited, Imphal from Cymbopogon Citratus, is sold and retailed in India and around Europe, it mentioned.
