A chemical in green tea that inhibits HIV transmission should be used in vaginal creams to help protect women, say German scientists. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.
The researchers found that a green tea polyphenol called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is able to neutralize a protein in sperm that serves as a vector for HIV transmission during sex, Agence France Presse reported.
The study was published online in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The University of Heidelberg team said using EGCG in vaginal creams could offer a low-cost method of reducing sexual transmission of HIV in poor and developing nations, AFP reported.