Protective effect of aqueous green tea extract on toxicity caused by sodium nitrite

Abstract EN

Food additives are substances internationally added to food, this may be natural or synthetic.

The safety of repeated exposure to permitted synthetic food additives (colorants or preservatives) has been questioned.

Sodium nitrite (NaN02, a food preservative agent) was used at 80 mg / kg / day and orally administered to the rats either alone or in conjugation with aqueous green tea extract (GTE, 10 %) for 2 months.

Blood and organs samples were collected for biochemical and histopathologically examinations.

Ingestion of NaN02, induced a significant decline in blood glutathione reduced (GSH), plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and glutathione -S- transferees (GST).

Furthermore, significant increase was recorded in the level of serum lipid peroxide (MDA) and plasma nitric oxide (NO).

Moreover, serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) as well as bilirubin levels was increased significantly, while albumin level was decreased.

Also, serum urea and cretonne levels were significantly increased.

Plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and serum Creative phosphokinase (CPK) activities were increased.

Histopathologically examination in sodium nitrite group rats revealed marked alterations in liver as apoptosis, perioral necrosis Sometimes, there were areas of focal necrosis which infiltrated with mononuclear cells giving the picture of granuloma like lesions, in addition to severe vacuolar degeneration.

Also, kidney showed severe vacuolar degeneration and massive areas of tubular necrosis.

Furthermore, heart showed necrosis of myocardial muscle cells.

Fortunately, administration of green tea extract in conjugation with sodium nitrite showed significant amelioration of the investigated parameters and pathological changes.

The results indicated that green tea extract has a potential to be developed as a preventive extract against sodium nitrite induced toxicity and the mechanism involved in the protection could be due to its antioxidant activity.