Tea pigments inhibit the production of type 1 (T(H1)) and type 2 (T(H2)) helper T cell cytokines in CD4(+) T cells.

Tea pigments are oxidized products of polyphenols derived from tea leaves (Camellia sinensis). Theaflavins are constituents of tea pigments with antioxidant, antineoplastic and antiinflammatory properties similar to their parent compounds. The biological properties of polyphenols and theaflavins have been linked to their capacity to inhibit the activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), a transcription factor, which is critically involved in the molecular regulation of a number of proinflammatory cytokines.