component of green tea protects injured livers in mice
a new study investigating the effects of the major flavonoid component of green tea on hepatic steatosis (fatty liver) found that it significantly protected livers that suffered ischemia/reperfusion (i/r) injury in mice. i/r injury, which is caused by decreased blood flow, can lead to complications after liver transplantation.
approximately one-fifth of the u.s. population is afflicted with hepatic steatosis due to a rising incidence of obesity. because fatty livers are more sensitive than lean livers to i/r injury and are associated with an increased risk of disease and death, this has resulted in fewer usable donors for liver transplants. in fact, nearly one-third of all donated livers are afflicted with fatty changes, but longer waiting lists are forcing practitioners to consider using these organs. a previous study found that rinsing livers with a solution containing green tea extract prevented failures in transplants using fatty livers. the current study examined whether (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (egcg), the major flavonoid component found in green tea, protected fatty livers from cell damage after i/r injury.
led by kenneth d. chavin, m.d., ph.d., of the medical university of south carolina in charleston, sc, researchers administered egcg either orally or by injection and performed surgery to induce i/r injury in mice; control groups did not receive the egcg. mice receiving egcg by either method showed a survival rate of 100 percent, versus 65 percent for the controls. tissue analysis showed that the egcg mice had decreased necrosis (cell death) and a higher percentage of viable tissue, demonstrating that the flavonoid protected the liver from i/r injury.
a new study investigating the effects of the major flavonoid component of green tea on hepatic steatosis (fatty liver) found that it significantly protected livers that suffered ischemia/reperfusion (i/r) injury in mice. i/r injury, which is caused by decreased blood flow, can lead to complications after liver transplantation.
approximately one-fifth of the u.s. population is afflicted with hepatic steatosis due to a rising incidence of obesity. because fatty livers are more sensitive than lean livers to i/r injury and are associated with an increased risk of disease and death, this has resulted in fewer usable donors for liver transplants. in fact, nearly one-third of all donated livers are afflicted with fatty changes, but longer waiting lists are forcing practitioners to consider using these organs. a previous study found that rinsing livers with a solution containing green tea extract prevented failures in transplants using fatty livers. the current study examined whether (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (egcg), the major flavonoid component found in green tea, protected fatty livers from cell damage after i/r injury.
led by kenneth d. chavin, m.d., ph.d., of the medical university of south carolina in charleston, sc, researchers administered egcg either orally or by injection and performed surgery to induce i/r injury in mice; control groups did not receive the egcg. mice receiving egcg by either method showed a survival rate of 100 percent, versus 65 percent for the controls. tissue analysis showed that the egcg mice had decreased necrosis (cell death) and a higher percentage of viable tissue, demonstrating that the flavonoid protected the liver from i/r injury.