Pharmacological studies on Indian black tea (leaf variety) in acute and chronic inflammatory conditions

• Published in: Phytotherapy research Vol. 22; no. 6; pp. 814 - 819
• Main Authors: Roy, Dilip K, Kumar, K.T. Mani Senthil, Karmakar, Sanmoy, Pal, Siddhartha, Samanta, Samir K, Adhikari, Dipan, Sen, Tuhinadri
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.06.2008; Wiley
• Subjects: 4,5-Dihydro-1-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-amine - pharmacology; Acetic Acid; Acute Disease; Animals; Arachidonic Acid; arthritis; Arthritis, Experimental - drug therapy; Arthritis, Experimental - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; black tea; BW755C; Chronic Disease; dual inhibition; Edema - chemically induced; Edema - drug therapy; General pharmacology; Himalayan variety; inflammation; Inflammation - chemically induced; Inflammation - drug therapy; Lipopolysaccharides - pharmacology; Male; Medical sciences; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Rats; Tea - chemistry; BW755C; Pharmacognosy; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Plant origin; Himalayan variety; Arthritis; Plant leaf; Inflammation; dual inhibition; black tea; Medicinal plant
• ISSN: 0951-418X; 1099-1573
• DOI: 10.1002/ptr.2375

Infusions of Indian black tea (BTI), when administered orally, produced significant inhibition of rat paw oedema, induced with carrageenin (pre and post treatment) and arachidonic acid. BTI was also found to inhibit peritoneal capillary permeability and caused a marked reduction of lipopolysaccharide induced PGE₂ generation. In these models, the observed antioedema effect was similar to that of BW755C (a dual inhibitor of cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase enzymes). BTI was found to scavenge superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, and also protected rat erythrocytes from the damaging effects of hydrogen peroxide. In chronic studies, BTI inhibited granuloma formation along with the reduction of both lipid peroxidation and hydroxyproline content (in the granuloma tissue). Significant antiarthritic activity was observed with regular administration of BTI in the Freund's adjuvant induced model of arthritis. Chronic treatment with BTI (in arthritic rats) resulted in a decrease of paw diameter and tissue lipid peroxidation, along with a restoration of GSH, catalase and superoxide dismutase levels. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.