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FACT
Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
Home > FACT contents > Volume 13 2008 > Volume 13:4 December 2008 > Short Reports > Herbal Medicine

Focus Altern Complement Ther 2008; 13: 291

Herbal Medicine

Camellia sinensis (green tea) extract for external anogenital warts

This trial investigated the clinical efficacy of topical sinecatechins, a defined Camellia sinensis (green tea) extract, in the treatment of external genital and perianal warts. A double-blind, vehicle-controlled RCT was conducted involving 502 male and female patients aged 18 years and older, with 2–30 anogenital warts ranging from 12 to 600 mm2 total wart area. Patients applied sinecatechins ointment 15% or 10% or vehicle (placebo) three times daily for a maximum of 16 weeks or until complete clearance of all warts, followed by a 12-week treatment-free follow-up to assess recurrence. Complete clearance of all baseline and newly occurring warts was obtained in 57.2% and 56.3% of patients treated with sinecatechins ointment 15% and 10%, respectively, compared with 33.7% for vehicle. Significance was observed at weeks 4 and 6 and all subsequent visits. Numbers needed to treat were 4.3 and 4.4. Partial clearance rates of at least 50% were reported for 78.4% and 74.0% of patients in the sinecatechins ointment 15% and 10% groups, respectively, compared with 51.5% of vehicle patients. During follow-up, recurrence of any wart was observed in 6.5%, 8.3% and 8.8% in the sinecatechins ointment 15% group, sinecatechins ointment 10% group, and vehicle patients, respectively. A total of 3.7%, 8.3% and 0.0% developed new warts, respectively. A total of 87.7% and 87.3% of patients in the sinecatechins ointment 15% and 10% groups, and 72.1% of vehicle patients experienced application site reactions; 49.2%, 46.2% and 65.4% of those, respectively, were mild or moderate.

Tatti S, Swinehart JM, Thielert C et al. Sinecatechins, a defined green tea extract, in the treatment of external anogenital warts: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol 2008; 111: 1371–9.
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