2013 Volume 136 Pages 162-167
Benifuuki is a Japanese green tea containing O-methylated catechin, which has the potential to alleviate allergic rhinitis. For the peak Japanese cedar pollinosis season, patients used paper tissues impregnated with Benifuuki green tea extract to reduce the allergic response. This approach was effective for low level cedar pollen exposure, however, it was not enough to reduce the allergic reaction in the peak of the scattering season. Treatment with medication, including medicated tissues, is a common way for pollinosis patients to manage their activities of daily living well under pleasant conditions for low to medium levels of Japanese cedar pollen, but this approach had difficulty in controlling the allergic reaction when the levels of Japanese cedar pollen were high.
Side effects associated with some medications, such as tiredness, weariness, sleepiness, and dry mouth were often observed among allergy patients. Most patients want to take medication without side effects. The Benifuuki beverage is one of the beneficial ways to alleviate allergic rhinitis. Various ways of using tissues impregnated with Benifuuki extract were tried, such as wiping the areas around the nose with the tissues, blowing the nose, or putting the Benifuuki tissues into a mask also impregnated with the Benifuuki beverage.
Tissues with the Benifuuki extract assisted with a combination of the Benifuuki beverage itself proved to be a safe and more effective way to treat the allergic response to Japanese cedar pollinosis, but the need to develop a new strategy remains.
