Herbal agents such as green tea could be used to treat inflammatory bladder diseases, according to a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study presented at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) in Anaheim, California.

The study found that two major components of green tea, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and epicatechin gallate (ECG), protected bladder cells from oxidative damage in cell culture.

Catechins - plant metabolites - provide green tea with many anti-oxidative properties that have been associated with a range of health benefits.

"We discovered that catechins found in green tea protected both normal and cancerous bladder cells from inflammation when we exposed the cells to hydrogen peroxide," said Michael B. Chancellor, M.D., professor of urology and gynecology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

"Although further studies are needed, these results indicate herbal supplements from green tea could be a treatment option for various bladder conditions that are caused by injury or inflammation."

In the study, researchers subjected normal and cancerous bladder cells to exposure of EGCG and ECG for 23 hours.   They found that both significantly protected cell lines from exposure to hydrogen peroxide, which damages or kills cells.

The doses of EGCG and ECG used in the study may be achieved through dietary intake.   

Bladder disease affects ten million American adults. One condition affecting both men and women is incontinence or interstitial cystitis, a chronic inflammatory condition that causes frequent, urgent and painful urination and pelvic discomfort.