Nanoparticles derived¹ from tea leaves could be the key to a leap forward in treating lung cancer, scientists have "accidentally" discovered.

科学家近日“意外”发现，从茶叶中提取的纳米颗粒可能是突破治疗肺癌的关键所在。

The joint Swansea University and Indian team was amazed to discover the "quantum dots" they manufactured destroyed 80% of the lung cancer cells they were applied² to.

英国斯旺西大学和印度团队的联合小组惊讶地发现，他们制出的“量子点”杀死了80%标记过的癌细胞。

Quantum dots are tiny nanoparticles. They can be made chemically, but this is complicated and expensive and has toxic³ side effects.

量子点是极小的纳米颗粒，可用化学方法制成，但这种方法非常复杂且成本高昂，还伴有毒副作用。

The research team were therefore exploring a non-toxic plant-based alternative method of producing the dots, using tea leaf extract.

因此，该研究团队利用茶叶提取物找到一种无毒、以植物为基础制造量子点的方法。

Dr Pitchaimuthu, lead researcher on the project, said harnessing the quantum dots effect into a usable treatment on humans could still be some years off.

项目牵头人Pichaimuthu博士表示，将量子点效应用于人体临床治疗可能仍需几年时间。

"We hope to start live laboratory trials shortly, with human clinical trials following in around two years if all goes well, so perhaps in a decade we could have a widely-available treatment," he said.

他表示：“我们希望能马上开始进行活体实验室试验，若一切顺利，约两年后将进行人体临床试验，这样也许十年内人们即可获得广泛治疗。”