Green Tea: A New Treatment for Cold Sores

Cold sores (herpes labialis), or fever blisters, are a common problem, and one third of people who suffer from them suffer relapses.

This double-blind, placebo-controlled study compared a topical green tea product containing catechins, powerful antioxidants found in green tea, to a 100% glycerin placebo in the treatment of cold sores. The forty people in the study, who all suffered from recurrent cold sores, applied one of the topical treatments six to eight times a day. . . .

The people who applied the green tea product experienced significantly shorter outbreaks of cold sores: their cold sores lasted 4.5 days compared to nine days in the placebo group. Their sores were itchy for one day versus four days in the placebo group and they were symptom free in four days compared to eight days in the placebo group: both results are significantly superior to placebo. The green tea shortened the blistering and ulceration stage of the outbreak significantly from three days to only one.

Green tea catechins have been previously shown to have a therapeutic effect on herpes simplex viral infections. As far as we know, though, this is the first time green tea catechins have been clinically shown to effectively treat cold sores, making green tea a new option for people who suffer from recurrent cold sores. Green tea joins a list of other effective natural treatments for cold sores, including topical lemon balm extract cream and lysine.

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 2015;120:717-724

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