Medicinal Benefits Of Green Tea (camellia Sinensis) On The Envenomation Pathogenesis

Résumé: Introduction: Green tea and its polyphenolic catechins have shown beneficial effects in several inflammatory is one of the most frequently consumed beverages in North African countries such as Algeria, which is characterized by a high incidence of scorpion envenomation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the green tea against cardiac and hepatic inflammatory response and oxidative stress induced by scorpion venom. Materials and Methods: Green tea was administered to mice in drinking water for 4 weeks before the injection of a sublethal dose of venom. The inflammation response and oxidative stress were assessed twenty-four hours after the envenomation by the evaluation of some inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, histological alterations and metabolic enzyme levels. Results: The results showed that scorpion venom induced tissue inflammatory response characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration and by an increase in levels of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species and a decreased antioxidant defense. Significant alterations of the cardiac and the hepatic tissues such as edema and hemorrhages associated with increased levels of metabolic enzymes were also observed. The administration of green tea infusions decreased nitric oxide and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances levels and reduced the incidence of heart and liver tissue alteration and metabolic enzyme levels. These results indicate that green tea exhibits potent protective effects against scorpion venom induced cardiac and hepatic toxicity probably by increasing antioxidant defense. Conclusion: The antioxidant properties are due to the synergistic properties of green tea extracts such as catechins, which are increasingly recognized as being potentially important for medicinal benefits.

Publié dans la revue: Algerian Journal of Health Sciences