Abstract: Objective: To explore and evaluate the effects of Pu’er tea on the levels of IL-6,IFN-γ,IL-1β,TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-4 in serum of mice,and then study the regulative effect of Pu’er tea on immune system. Methods: Pu’er tea was adminis-trated to mice by oral administration, intraperitoneal injection and intravenous injection, which was conserved for 1 year and 30 years respectively. For oral administration group, serum was separated from eyeball at 4 h after administration, for intraperitoneal injection and intravenous injection groups at 3 h after administration. The contents of IL-6,IFN-γ,IL-1β,TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-4 were examined by ELISA assay. Results: The contents of IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-4 in mice serum of experiment group significantly increase compared with contents of those in mice serum of corresponding control group, but the contents of TNF-α and IL-1β significantly decrease. Among the three routes of administration, the effect of intraperitoneal injection on cytokines is most obvious. Conclusion: The effects of Pu’er tea stored for different years on cytokines are discrepant. The immunomolating function of PU’er tea may be exerted through the cytokine which is secreted by immunocyte in gut mucosal system.

Key words: Pu&rsquo, er tea； cytokine； Balb/c mice