Therapeutic Effects of Kombucha in Adults and Animals: Protocol for Scoping Review

Kombucha is a fermented beverage of oriental origin, traditionally produced from sweetened tea (usually black or green tea) fermented by a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBY). In recent years, kombucha has gained prominence due to its potential health benefits, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, detoxifying and probiotic properties. In this study we aimed to map the available evidence on the therapeutic effects related to kombucha consumption. This is a scoping review (ScR) protocol that is highly compliant with the JBI Handbook for Evidence Synthesis and will be reported according to the PRISMA extension checklist for scoping reviews - PRISMA-ScR. The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus and Web of Science databases will be searched. A combination of subject headings, MeSH terms, Emtree terms and titles, using the Boolean terms AND/OR, will be carried out. In addition, three independent researchers will conduct the general stages of this review. The results of this review will be presented through narrative summaries, addressing the published knowledge on the therapeutic effects of kombucha. This will be the first scoping review to comprehensively and rigorously map the available scientific evidence on the therapeutic effects of kombucha in human and animal models.