Asian Journal
Of Traditional Medicines

Abstract: Azathioprine (AZA) is an immunosuppressant that has been used in the treatment of several diseases although AZA has been reported to be hepatotoxic. In the current study, the protective effects of green tea (Camellia sinensis) extract (GTE) against AZA-induced hepatotoxicity in rats were evaluated. AZA was administered i.p. as a single dose (50 mg/Kg B.W.) to adult male rats. A group of rats were given 1.5 % GTE orally 7 days pre- and 14 days post-AZA-intoxication as the sole source of drinking water (average 2×250 ml/day/rat). Histopathological investigations of the liver were performed on all the study groups. AZA administration to rats resulted in elevation of serum transaminases (sALT and sAST), depletion of liver reduced glutathione (GSH), accumulation of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and elevation of lipid peroxides (LPO). Also, AZA treatment resulted in inhibition of the hepatic activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). Furthermore, AZA treatment increased the hepatic levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and myeloperoxidase (MPO), in addition to abnormal histopathological changes. Significantly, GTE minimized the elevations in sALT and sAST, inhibited hepatic GSH depletion and GSSG and LPO accumulation. Also, GTE normalized SOD and CAT levels, inhibited elevation of TNF-α and MPO levels and improved the different histopathological changes following AZA intoxication. The results of this study showed that, GTE could produce a significant protective effect against AZA-induced liver damage via potentiating the antioxidative pathways and inhibiting the neutrophil infilteration pathways in rats.

Key words: azathioprine, green tea extract, hepatotoxicity, oxidative stress, antioxidant