Advances in Tea and its Bioactive Components Against Diabetic Nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy has become a serious and growing public health problem. Experimental studies have shown that tea is protective against diabetic nephropathy. Possible mechanisms include enhanced insulin action, improved insulin resistance, activation of insulin signaling pathways, protection of islet β-cells, free radical scavenging, and reduction of inflammation. In addition, clinical trials have confirmed that tea intervention is effective in patients with diabetic nephropathy. Thus, to highlight the importance of tea in the prevention and treatment of diabetic nephropathy, this review summarizes and discusses the effect of tea on diabetic nephropathy based on the results of experimental and clinical studies and pays special attention to its mechanism of action.