Natl. J. Physiol. Pharm. Pharmacol. (2025), Vol. 15(2): 137-139

Original Research

10.5455/NJPPP.2025.v15.i2.4

Effect of green tea catechins on body weight of Albino Wistar rats—An interventional study

A. V. Shilpa^1*, Ambili Gopi Nair² and Biju Bahuleyan¹

¹Department of Physiology, MAEER MIT Pune’s MIMER Medical College, Dr BSTR Hospital Talegaon Dabhade, Pune, India

*Corresponding Author: A. V. Shilpa. Department of Physiology, Jubilee Mission Medical College and RI, Thrissur, India. Email: drshilpamanoj [at] gmail.com

Submitted: 07/10/2024 Accepted: 02/01/2025 Published: 28/02/2025

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ABSTRACT

Introduction: Obesity is a serious medical condition linked to metabolic syndrome, which puts individuals with obesity at risk for developing chronic diseases. The pathophysiology of obesity involves the interaction of several factors, including genetic, environmental, and lifestyle-related factors. Hence, a comprehensive approach should be adopted to reduce obesity at an early stage rather than waiting for complications. Risk factors for obesity, obesity genes, anti-obesity agents, and lifestyle modification are potential research areas in this field. Green tea catechins, such as epigallocatechin gallate, are known to have anti-obese effects by increasing beta oxidation, reducing insulin resistance, thermogenesis, and anti-inflammatory effects.

Aim: To analyze the role of green tea catechins in the body weight of Albino Wistar rats.

Materials and methods: The study was conducted on 18 Albino Wistar rats of 8–10 weeks old, weighing 200–350 g in experimental and control groups of 6 each. Green tea was administered to experimental groups 1 and 2 animals in different concertations of 0.5% (125-mg GTE in 25-ml water) and 1% (250-mg GTE in 25-ml water). Animals were fed a standard diet with tap water throughout the study period. The body weights of all animals were measured before and 2 weeks after the intervention.

Result: Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and data were analyzed using independent sample t-test and ANOVA with a p-value of < 0.05 as significant. Green tea consumption resulted in a significant decrease in body weight in group 2 animals, while there was no reduction in group 1 animals.

Conclusion: Green tea catechins have anti-obesity effects and can be a natural remedy for reducing body weight. Further studies are required to standardize the dose and duration of green tea as an anti-obese agent. In addition, more research has to be done related to obesity and genes, considering the potential role of developing anti-obese drugs.

Keywords: Green tea, obesity, Catechins, metabolic syndrome, EGCG.

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Introduction

Obesity and metabolic syndrome are emerging as serious public health problems that can be considered a global pandemic. Obesity can alter the quality of life of an individual in many ways. Obese people have a higher risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, and various types of cancer. In addition, the social and psychological effects of excessive weight further compromise the quality of life. Risk factors for obesity include increased calorie intake, physical inactivity, adaptive thermogenesis, and genetic factors. Genetic links to obesity serve as a potential target for developing new prevention and treatment methods based on novel genes or alternate pathways for obesity (Chacko et al., 2010).

The anti-obesity effect of green tea has been well demonstrated in many clinical and experimental animal models. Green tea catechins, such as epigallocatechin gallate, can reduce adipocyte differentiation and proliferation, lipogenesis, body fat composition, fat absorption, plasma levels of triglycerides, and cholesterol (Osada et al., 2001). An increase in beta oxidation, regulation of insulin and glucose levels, and thermogenesis are other anti-obesity effects of green tea catechins (Raederstorff et al., 2003). This study aimed to investigate the role of green tea catechins in regulating body weight in animal models of Albino Wistar rats, and the results could be extrapolated to human subjects.

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Aim

To investigate the effect of green tea catechins on the body weight of Albino Wistar rats

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Materials and Methods

After getting the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee approval, the study was conducted in the small animal research facility of a medical college in South Kerala. Green tea extracts (GTEs) were purchased online (ZENITH NUTRICORP, 16 C Reading Road, Edison, NJ and O8817 USA), and tea was prepared in two concentrations: 0.5% (125-mg GTE in 25-ml water) and 1% (250-mg GTE in 25-ml water). The rats were fed freshly prepared green tea every morning through feeding bottles along with facilities for drinking water. Male Albino Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) aged 8–10 months and weighing 200–350 g were selected for the study. The animals were kept in wire mesh cages under standard conditions of light and temperature for 1 week to adjust to the new environment.

The animals were divided into two experimental groups and a control group of six animals in each group. Group 1 and 2 animals were fed 0.5% and 1% green tea along with a standard diet, respectively. Animals in the control group were fed a standard diet with tap water. The body weights of all animals were assessed before starting green tea. Finally, body weight was measured after 2 weeks at the end of intervention.

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Results

Data were represented as mean and standard deviation and were analyzed using SPSS version 22. The independent sample t-test and ANOVA were used to compare the mean values of the experimental and control groups, with a p-value of < 0.05 as significant. Group 1 animals had an increase in body weight, but a significant decrease in body weight was observed in group 2 (Table 1). A comparison of body weight between the different groups had no significance (Table 2).

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Discussion

Table 1 shows a reduction in the body weight of group 2 animals after green tea consumption for 2 weeks, but there was an increase in the body weight of group 1 animals. Group 2 animals consumed a higher concentration of green tea than the first group, which caused a reduction in body weight. The anti-obesity effect of green tea is due to its capacity to elevate thermogenesis and fat oxidation, thereby lowering lipid peroxidation and suppressing appetite and nutrient absorption (Weisburger 1997). Green tea catechins reduce body weight by regulating obesity-related genes. The mechanism underlying the anti-obesity effects of green tea varies from the regulation of orexigenic genes, enhancement of anorexigenic genes, and increase in energy expenditure (Dulloo et al., 1999; Auvichayapat et al., 2007). Green tea catechins play a role in modulating inflammatory markers and increasing antioxidant status (Chen et al., 2006).

Green tea acts on the adipose tissue, liver, intestine, and skeletal muscle to mediate its anti-obesity effects. Studies conducted on human subjects reported reduced body weight and body fat, as well as increased fat oxidation and thermogenesis, thereby confirming the findings of cell culture systems and animal models of obesity (Osada et al., 2001). Long-term consumption of tea catechins can be beneficial against high-fat diet-induced obesity and type II diabetes and can reduce the risk of coronary artery disease.

The health benefits of green tea polyphenols have been demonstrated in several studies, including its antioxidant properties, cholesterol reduction, cardioprotective effects, increased thermogenesis, reduction in blood pressure, and its use as an anticancer agent (Sato et al., 1989; Osada et al., 2001; Suzuki et al., 2004; Kim et al., 2007).

Table 1. Comparative analysis of traditional versus next generation methods of disposing carcasses in terms of diverse features and mechanisms.

Table 2. Comparison of body weight between experimental groups and control group.

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Conclusion

Long-term consumption of green tea catechins helps in reducing body weight due to its anti-obesity effects at various levels. Further studies are needed to identify the role of genes in regulating obesity and to estimate the optimum dose and duration of green tea consumption.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to acknowledge the small animal research center faculties for their guidance and support.

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Conflict of interest

None declared.

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Funding

Nil.

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Authors’ contributions

Shilpa AV – Data collection, statistical analysis, manuscript writing Ambili Gopi Nair – Data collection Biju Bahuleyan - Data editing.

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Data availability

Original research was conducted at a small animal research center.

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