Full Length Research Paper

In the current study, fifty male albino rats weighing between 150-200 g, and 10 weeks old were used to investigate the effect of green tea Camellia sinensis extract on liver and renal function related biochemical parameters in alloxan induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced experimentally in rats by a single subcutaneous injection with alloxan (100 mg/kg). Rats with blood glucose more than 200 mg/dl were considered as alloxan induced diabetes after 30 days. The animals were randomly distributed into five groups each of six animals in each group. The first group was considered as normal control rats, the second group was regarded as diabetic control rats, the third group was treated with insulin, and the 4th and 5th groups were treated with green tea extract (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight). Alloxan induced diabetes mellitus in rats for four weeks caused significant increase in the levels of serum glucose, liver function parameters, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glutamic acid transaminase (GPT), and glutamic oxalo acetic acid transaminase (GOT), renal function parameters, creatinine, urea, uric acid and lipid profile. Diabetic rats treated with 50 and 100 mg/kg of green tea showed significant decrease in the levels of serum glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, liver function tests parameters such as ALP, GPT, and GOT; creatinine, uric acid as compared to non treated diabetic rats. Study of histological changes in functionally related organs such as pancreas, kidney, and liver showed structural changes. In pancreas, distortion of exocrine portion, and inflammatory cell infiltration were seen. In kidney, thickening of glomerular basement membrane, increased mesangial cellularity, deposition of extracellular matrix and dilation in renal tubules were detected. In liver, necrosis, inflammation and perivascular lymphocytic infiltration were apparent. Treatment with high dose (GTE100) of green tea extract was found to almost restore the normal histological architecture of the pancreas, kidney, and liver of diabetic rats