Kombucha

Brand names: Champagne Of Life, Combucha Tea, Dr. Sklenar's Kombucha Mushroom Infusion, Fungus Japonicus, Kargasok Tea, Kombucha Mushroom, Kombucha Tea, Kwassan, Manchurian Fungus, Manchurian Tea, Pellicle, Spumonto, Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria And Yeast (SCOBY), T'

Usage of Kombucha

As the base liquid is generally green or black tea, some of the purported uses may be attributed to the teas themselves.Dufresne 2000 See the Green Tea monograph. In an in vitro study evaluating kombucha tea activity against Vibrio cholerae, the basic mechanism of antibacterial activity of the kombucha polyphenolic fraction may have involved bacterial membrane permeabilization and morphological changes, possibly due to generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species.Bhattacharya 2018

Antimicrobial activity

In vitro data

In vitro, kombucha teas have demonstrated antimicrobial activity against bacterial and fungal species, including some human pathogens.Battikh 2013, Greenwalt 2000, Kapp 2019, Sreeramulu 2000 Antimicrobial activity has been demonstrated even after thermal denaturationSreeramulu 2000; however, clinical studies are lacking.

Antioxidant activity

Animal and in vitro data

Several animal and in vitro studies report that kombucha teas have antioxidant properties.Bellassoued 2015, Gaggia 2018

Cancer

Animal data

Limited studies in rodents have demonstrated a protective effect against radiation-induced chromosomal aberrations.Cavusoglu 2010, Yapar 2010

Clinical data

Results of systematic reviews did not support the use of kombucha teas for cancer prevention or for cancer treatment due to the lack of human studies to support claims. There is a potential risk of serious adverse events.Ernst 2003, Kapp 2019

Gastric ulceration

Animal data

Indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers were healed (histological assessment) in rodents administered kombucha teas. Despite the acidity of kombucha tea, reduced gastric acid secretion was described.Banerjee 2010

Clinical data

There is very limited clinical evidence regarding the effectiveness of fermented foods such as kombucha teas in GI health and disease.Dimidi 2019

Liver disease

Animal data

Studies in rats have demonstrated decreased liver enzymes and improved creatinine and urea indices with consumption of kombucha teas for up to 30 days. Protection against acetaminophen-, carbon tetrachloride-, and radiation-induced injury has been demonstrated. Antioxidant properties may be responsible for the observed effects.Bhattacharya 2013, Bhattacharya 2011, Bhattacharya 2011, Gharib 2009, Jayabalan 2008, Murugesan 2009, Pauline 2001, Rashid 2013, Sai Ram 2000, Wang 2014 Studies in mice have also suggested that kombucha teas protect hepatocytes from lipid toxicity by influencing lipid metabolism and reducing inflammation and fibrosis, which contributes to liver restoration in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.Lee 2019 This might be attributed to changes in the intestinal microbiota after consuming kombucha tea, as was observed in a study of mice with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.Jung 2018

Metabolic syndrome

Due to the presence of phenolic compounds, inhibition of pancreatic alpha-amylase has been postulated, sufficient to cause a net decrease in the absorption of glucose.Kallel 2012

Animal data

In mice and rats, limited studies have shown that kombucha teas improve lipid profiles and indices of diabetes (glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c] and plasma insulin), and well as increase antioxidant capacity and cardiac markers.Aloulou 2012, Lobo 2014, Srihari 2013, Yang 2009

Toxin binding

Animal data

Glucuronic acid (found in kombucha teas) has been shown to bind to toxins.Dufresne 2000, Jayabalan 2014 A study in rats with silica dust–induced pulmonary lesions showed improvements with kombucha administration.Fu 2013

Wound healing

Animal data

Studies in rodents have shown that intraperitoneal administration of kombucha teas decreased inflammation and adhesions in induced peritoneal wounds.Maghsoudi 2009 Topical application of the kombucha pellicle resulted in wound healing in rats at a similar rate to that of nitrofurazone ointment.Barati 2013

Clinical data

There are no clinical data to support the use of kombucha in wound healing, despite the suggested use of the pellicle in burns and as a temporary skin substitute.Dufresne 2000

Kombucha side effects

Cases of nausea and allergic responses have been reported.Dufresne 2000 Because the final pH of kombucha teas is very acidic (pH 2.5), consumption with water is advised. Low pH is also associated with the leaching of heavy metals from brewing containers. Symptomatic lead poisoning has been associated with brewing kombucha in certain lead-glazed ceramic pots.Greenwalt 2000, Kapp 2019

Use in immune-suppressed individuals or those with renal, pulmonary, or liver disease is not advised.Jayabalan 2014, Kapp 2019

Before taking Kombucha

Kombucha is contraindicated in women who are pregnant or lactating.Jayabalan 2014, Kapp 2019

How to use Kombucha

There is no clinical evidence to support specific dosage recommendations for kombucha.

Warnings

Rare case reports of severe metabolic acidosis, cardiomyopathy, and hepatotoxicity exist.Derk 2004, Kapp 2019, Kovacevic 2014, SungHee Kole 2009 Use is considered contraindicated in individuals with liver disease.Kapp 2019 Teas produced under sterile conditions are likely to be safe for consumption, and a food code process for their production has been published.Greenwalt 2000, Nummer 2013 Studies in rodents have been conducted. In a 90-day study in which kombucha tea was given to rats, no hematological, biochemical, or histological changes were evident.Vijayaraghavan 2000 Another study found no evidence of harm to nerve tissue in rats, while the internal organs of rats (but not mice) showed lesions in a 12-week study.Greenwalt 2000, Zhu 2014

What other drugs will affect Kombucha

Case reports are lacking. Based on chemical studies, inhibition of the angiotensin-converting enzyme may be possible.(Hrnjez 2014)

Disulfiram: Disulfiram may enhance the adverse/toxic effect of kombucha. A disulfiram-like reaction may occur. Avoid combination.(Altun 2006, Antabuse June 2016, Bakish 1986, Ellis 1979, Heath 1992, Ho 2007, Jang 2021, Jones 1949, Koff 1971, Mukherjee 2020, Tayyareci 2009)

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords