EFFECTS OF GREEN TEA (CAMELLIA SINENSIS) ON LIVER HISTOLOGY OF MICE ON HIGH FAT DIET- A MORPHOMETRIC STUDY

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of green tea on liver histology of mice on high fat diet. STUDY DESIGN: Analytical experimental randomized control trial. PLACE DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Anatomy in collaboration with the Department of Pathology, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi and National Institute of Health, Islamabad. Twelve weeks study. MATERIAL METHODS: Sixty adult mice, Balb-c, strain were selected and divided into three groups. The control group was given standard laboratory diet throughout the study. In experimental group A, the study was carried out in two phases. In the first phase, hepatic steatosis was induced by high fat diet containing 4 percent cholesterol powder and 40 percent butter fat for six weeks. In the second phase, experimental group was given normal diet with 1 percent green tea over a period of next six weeks. The experimental group B was given high fat diet containing 4 percent cholesterol powder and 40 percent butter fat with 1 percent green tea over a period of twelve weeks. Ten mice in each group were sacrificed at six weeks remaining ten were sacrificed at twelve weeks. RESULTS: High fat diet for six weeks produced significant hepatic steatosis, evident on histological analysis. When experimental group A (induction phase) with high fat diet was compared with the (reversal phase) on normal diet and green tea, statistically significant difference (p 0.05) was noted in terms of liver histology. Green tea reverted all parameters in experimental group B, which though reduced never reached the control value and remained somewhat elevated. CONCLUSION: It is therefore concluded that green tea protects against the development of hepatic steatosis and reduces hepatic injury in mice.