A compound found in green tea could help to combat cancer when delivered directly to tumours, scientists have said.
Researchers at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow discovered that by delivering an extract called epigallocatechin gallate directly to skin cancer lesions in the lab, they were able to shrink or eliminate the growths within one month.
Previous studies that used conventional intravenous delivery of the extract had failed to achieve these results.
But the new method of administration ensures that the chemical reaches the cancer and led to shrinkage in almost two-thirds of tumours.
Dr Christine Dufes, a senior lecturer at the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, commented: 'These are very encouraging results which we hope could pave the way for new and effective cancer treatments.
'This research could open doors to new treatments for what is still one of the biggest killer diseases in many countries.'
The findings are published in the journal Nanomedicine and could have important implications, as figures show that skin cancer is on the rise in the UK.