|
 The
major antioxidant found in green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate
(EGCG), may significantly protect fatty livers after a liver transplant.
Fatty livers are more susceptible than lean livers to ischemia/reperfusion
(I/R) injury, which is caused by decreased blood flow, and are therefore
more susceptible to complications after transplantation.
About one-fifth of the U.S. population suffers from fatty liver,
which is associated with obesity. Since fatty livers pose an increased
risk of disease and death, the end result is fewer available donors
for liver transplants. Close to one-third of donated livers have
some sort of fatty changes, but due to longer transplant waiting
lists, these compromised organs are sometimes being used.
A past study found that rinsing livers with a green tea-extract
solution protected against failures in transplants involving fatty
livers. The current study found that EGCG might protect fatty livers
from ischemia-related damage during transplantation.
Green Tea Study Details
In the study, mice were given EGCG either orally or by injection.
Researchers then performed surgeries to induce ischemia that could
damage the rodents' livers. Results showed:
-
Mice that received EGCG showed a 100 percent post-surgery survival
rate, experienced less liver cell death and retained more viable
tissue.
-
Mice not given the compound had a 65 percent survival rate.
-
EGCG reduced liver fat content by about 55 percent.
Researchers called for further research to explore how ECGC acts
to protect fatty livers, but suggested the green tea compound may
work by acting as an antioxidant, stimulating the production of
additional antioxidants, reducing liver fat content and increasing
energy stores.
Liver
Transplantation February 17, 2005, Volume 11, Issue 3, pgs.
298-308
Science
Blog February 18, 2005
| 