Effects of aqueous extract of Camellia sinensis (l.) O.kuntze on liver markers of cadmium treated rats

The effects of oral feeding of aqueous extract of green tea leaf on alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), sugar and total proteins were studied in the liver of cadmium treated rats. In cadmium control group sugar and protein levels were decreased and ALP level was significantly (p<0.001) decreased, whereas ACP, ALT and AST levels showed increase. In the other two experiment groups, treated with cadmium and aqueous extract of green tea, the decreased level of sugar, proteins and ALP came back to normal level in both 2 mg and 4 mg Camellia sinesis dose groups. Decrease was observed in the activity of ACP, ALT and AST in 2 mg C. sinensis dose group but with higher dose of C. sinensis, that is 4 mg dose, levels of ACP, ALT and AST were normal. The results of this study indicate that the aqueous extract of green tea restores the normal activity of these marker enzymes and antioxidant present in the green tea prevent the liver injury as indicated by the levels of enzymes status.