Green tea consumption reduces influenza incidence in human populations. However, where and how green tea exerts its anti-viral activities remain unclear. Here, we examined the adsorption of green tea catechins on the pharyngeal mucosa at 3–60 min after ingestion of green tea extract (GTE) and the role this adsorption plays in preventing influenza A virus (IAV) infection in BALB/c mice. Green tea catechins were adsorbed on the pharyngeal mucosa for up to 60 min after GTE ingestion. The anti-IAV activity of GTE was dose dependent (p < 0.001). The anti-IAV activity of GTE peaked at 3 min after GTE ingestion and then gradually diminished; this was consistent with the amount of green tea catechins remaining on the pharyngeal mucosa. These results suggest that adsorption of green tea catechins on the pharyngeal mucosa is important for the anti-IAV activity of GTE.

食用绿茶可降低人类的流感发病率。但是，尚不清楚绿茶在何处以及如何发挥其抗病毒活性。在这里，我们研究了摄入绿茶提取物（GTE）后3–60分钟时绿茶儿茶素在咽粘膜上的吸附作用，以及该吸附在预防BALB / c小鼠中甲型流感病毒（IAV）感染中的作用。摄入GTE后，绿茶儿茶素在咽粘膜上的吸附长达60分钟。GTE的抗IAV活性是剂量依赖性的（p <0.001）。摄取GTE后3分钟，GTE的抗IAV活性达到峰值，然后逐渐降低；这与咽粘膜上残留的绿茶儿茶素的含量一致。这些结果表明，绿茶儿茶素在咽粘膜上的吸附对于GTE的抗IAV活性很重要。