Labrador Tea Polyphenols: Surviving Digestion to Protect Proteins in Arthritis
CWSF · 2026 Health & Wellness Gold Medal
Overview
Labrador tea is a common northern herbal medicine used Indigenous communities to maintain overall health. This study aimed at investigating whether polyphenolic compounds found in Labrador tea are still chemically detectable after simulated digestion and whether compounds that are stable to digestion still have the capacity to stabilise proteins under stress conditions in vitro. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) at my school lab and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) at Universite du Quebec a Trois Riviere (UQTR) were used to analyze plant extracts, and to simulated stomach and intestinal digestion. A heat-induced egg albumin denaturation test was used to check protein stabilization. Moreover, a survey of the community (encompassing adult participants) captured the traditional methods of preparation and noted the outcomes of drinking Labrador tea to relate laboratory results to practical use. Results indicate that some polyphenols withstand digestive factors and could be involved in protein stabilization mechanisms as applicable to inflammation models.
Awards (3)
- Special Award
- Gold Medal
- Selected for CWSF 2026
Competition history
- CWSF 2026
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