Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities of kombucha tea. We investigated in vitro the efficacy of kombucha tea for its antiproliferative effects by its potential cytotoxic activity using the MTT colorimetric method  against two human cancer cell lines (A549, lung cell carcinoma and Hep-2,  epidermoid carcinoma). Treatment of human cancer cell lines A549 and Hep-2 with Kombucha tea showed a dose dependant inhibition of growth as a result of cytotoxicity. The antimicrobial activity of kombucha tea against a spectrum of Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms is also reported. Kombucha tea demonstrated an antimicrobial activity against Escherichi coli, Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium, Micrococcusluteus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis strains. Further investigations are needed to identify the compounds of kombucha tea associated with the antiproliferative and antimicrobial properties.

Key words: Kombucha, antiproliferative, antimicrobial.