Java Tea

OTHER NAME(S): Arjak, Barbiflore, Cat's Whiskers, Java Thé, Kidney Tea, Kumos Kucing, Miasai Kucing, Misai Kuching, Moustaches de Chat, Orthosiphon, Orthosiphon Grandiflorus, Orthosiphonis Folium, Shen Tea, Té de Java, Thé de Java, Vantulsi, Orthosiphon aristatus, Orthosiphon stamineus, Clerodendranthus spicatus, Clerodendrum spicatum, Ocimum aristatum, Ortosiphon, Té De Java, Thé De Java

Overview

Java tea (Orthosiphon aristatus) is a shrub native to tropical areas of Asia and Australia. The leaves and stem tips are used as medicine.

Java tea contains chemicals that might reduce blood sugar and improve kidney function.

People sometimes use Java tea for chronic kidney disease, diabetes, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

References
  1. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
  2. Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
  3. Cicero AF, De Sando V, Izzo R, Vasta A, Trimarco A, Borghi C. Effect of a combined nutraceutical containing Orthosiphon stamineus effect on blood pressure and metabolic syndrome components in hypertensive dyslipidaemic patients: a randomized clinical trial. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2012;18(3):190-4.
  4. Vahlensieck W, Lorenz H, Schumacher-Stimpfl A, Fischer R, Naber KG. Effect of a herbal therapy on clinical symptoms of acute lower uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women: Secondary analysis from a randomized controlled trial. Antibiotics (Basel). 2019;8(4):256.
  5. Bokhari RA, Tantowi NACA, Lau SF, Mohamed S. Java tea (Orthosiphon stamineus) protected against osteoarthritis by mitigating inflammation and cartilage degradation: a preclinical study. Inflammopharmacology. 2018;26(4):939-949.
  6. Ambursa MB, Rahman MNG, Sulaiman SA, et al. An in vitro study of Orthosiphon stamineus (Misai Kucing) standardized water extract as a chemolytic agent in urolithiasis. J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2021 Oct-Dec;13(4):373-9.
  7. Chen WD, Zhao YL, Sun WJ, et al. "Kidney tea" and its bioactive secondary metabolites for treatment of gout. J Agric Food Chem. 2020 Aug 26;68(34):9131-f9138. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.0c03848. Epub 2020 Aug 14.
  8. Deipenbrock M, Scotti F, Mo B, Heinrich M, Hensel A. Seven-day oral intake of Orthosiphon stamineus leaves infusion exerts antiadhesive ex vivo activity against uropathogenic E. coli in urine samples. Planta Med. 2021 Sep 14. doi: 10.1055/a-1585-6322.