April 26, 2007 :- AUGUSTA, Ga. (UPI) -- Green tea may help protect against autoimmune disease, according to a study by the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta.

Researchers studied an animal model for type 1 diabetes and primary Sjogren's syndrome, which damages the glands that produce tears and saliva.

The study, published in Autoimmunity, found significantly less salivary gland damage in a group treated with green tea extract, suggesting a reduction of the Sjogren's symptom commonly referred to as dry mouth. Dry mouth can also be caused by certain drugs, radiation and other diseases.

Approximately 30 percent of elderly Americans suffer from degrees of dry mouth, however, only 5 percent of the elderly in China, where green tea is widely consumed, suffer from the condition, according to study leader Dr. Stephen Hsu.