[Inhibitory effect of green tea infusion of hepatotoxicity]

We first showed a drinking of green tea infusion can inhibit chemically induced possible hepatic tissue damages in animal experiments, although it has been shown that oral administration of green tea extract can inhibit some organ toxicities. In this review, our data are summarized and a possibility of the effectiveness in humans is discussed. Male rats or mice in the series of experiments were given 2% green tea infusion as a drinking water 1 or 2 weeks before the chemical treatment and until the termination. In the study of rats, green tea effectively inhibited the hepatotoxicity induced by a single intraperitoneal injection or by repeated gavage administration of 2-nitropropane, and a single intraperitoneal injection of galactosamine. However, any possible effects were not observed when green tea was given, on the hepatotoxicity by a single or repeated gavage administration of carbon tetrachloride. In the study of mice, green tea inhibited the hepatotoxicity induced by administration of pentachlorophenol in diet. In conclusion, 2% green tea infusion can prevent the hepatotoxicity by at least some chemicals in experimental animals. It is inferred that the amount of green tea taken by animals in this experiment might be equivalent to the daily intake in Japanese general population, by calculation based on the content of epigallocatechin gallate, a major component of green tea, and the species differences between experimental animals and humans, suggesting the preventive effectiveness in humans.