Kombucha

Scientific Name(s): SCOBY., Symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.
Common Name(s): "fungus" Japonicus, Champagne of life, Combucha tea, Dr. Sklenar's kombucha mushroom infusion, Kargasok tea, Kombucha mushroom, Kombucha tea, Kwassan, Manchurian "fungus", Manchurian tea, Pellicle, Spumonto, T'chai from the sea, Teekwass, Tschambucco, Yeast/bacteria fungal symbiont, Zoogleal mat

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jul 22, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

Evidence does not support the pharmacologic claims for kombucha teas; case reports of severe toxicity exist.

Dosing

There is no clinical evidence to support specific dosage recommendations for kombucha.

Contraindications

Use in immune-suppressed patients, and during pregnancy and lactation is not advised.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Avoid use.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Cases of nausea and allergic responses have been reported.

Toxicology

Information is limited. Rare case reports of severe toxicity exist.

Botany

Kombucha is not a fungus or a mushroom, but rather a cellulose pellicle or mat fermented in a black tea and sugar mix.1 Pellicle is sometimes referred to as a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY),2, 3 the bacterial portion of which generally contains Gluconacetobacter xylinus (formerly known as Acetobacter xylinum), that ferments the ethanol produced by the yeast component. Kombucha tea is the resultant sour-tasting, fermented liquid broth, described as resembling sparkling apple cider. Black or green tea has been used, and a number of other beverages, teas (including fruit-based teas), Jerusalem artichoke, milk, and whey, have also been described.1, 4, 5

Kombucha should not be confused with the seaweed konbu (Japanese). See Seaweed monograph.

History

Kombucha tea has grown rapidly in popularity and has been touted as a miracle cure for a wide variety of illnesses ranging from memory loss to premenstrual syndrome.6

The name "kombucha" is derived from Japanese in that it is brewed in a seaweed (kombu) tea (cha). In Western countries, the product is typically propagated in black tea. Growing spores are floated on the surface of brewed, sweetened black tea, with the mycelium doubling in mass approximately every week. The mass is then divided, and the new portion is propagated on new tea media. In this manner, kombucha mycelium can be propagated at a rapid rate for commercial distribution.7

As the growth matures, it ferments the beverage slightly, which is then consumed for its purported medicinal properties. Consumption of fermented teas has long been popular in Eastern cultures, and the use of this particular mycelial growth may date back several centuries.

Despite extravagant claims for its pharmacologic activity, some experts believe that the tea fulfills the US Food and Drug Administration’s criteria for identifying a fraudulent product, including reference to non-US medical studies, an appeal to personal vanity, ancient origins, and alleged cures for a wide variety of ailments.6 Some of these claims include curing cancer, rheumatism, and intestinal disorders, as well as reversing the effects of aging.

Chemistry

The major bacteria in kombucha are most commonly from the genus Gluconacetobacter, with Acetobacter as the minor or trace bacterium present.5 Other bacteria such as Lact...