Abstract
Introduction: High sucrose diet has various effects on hepatic function. In addition the obese persons are susceptible to develop fatty liver disease (FLD). Green tea contains powerful antioxidants, polyphenols, which help to remove free radicals from your body's cells. There is a little information about the effects of green tea extract on liver function and histolological changes in the liver of obese rats.
Aim of the study: The objective of this study was to assess the effects of high sucrose diet on body mass index, serum lipid profile, blood glucose, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level and liver histology (light microscope using H&E; toluidine blue& transmission electron microscope) in rats and the role of green tea extract in minimizing these changes.
Materials and Methods: The rats included in this study were classified into 4 main groups; group I: control group received standard diet, group II: rats received standard diet and green tea, group III: High Sucrose rats, group IV: high Sucrose group received green tea extract.
Results: High sucrose diet group caused significant changes in the histology of liver where fatty infiltration is prominent in most hepatocytes while the remaining cells exhibited vacuolated cytoplasm with pyknotic nuclei. Ultra structurally, the most characteristic features observed in most hepatocytes were accumulation of fat droplets and the degenerative changes especially in mitochondria. Biochemically there was a significant increase in serum triglycerides, total cholesterol ,LDL.C, blood glucose, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) as well as a significant decrease in serum HDL.C. All these histological & biochemical effects were improved by green tea.
Conclusion: From this study we can conclude that, high sucrose diet caused significant changes in histological structure of the liver with a significant increase in body mass index, serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL, blood glucose, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) as well as a significant decrease in serum HDL. All these effects were counteracted by green tea consumption.