EFFECTS OF TEA (CAMELLIA-SINENSIS) CHEMICAL-COMPOUNDS ON ETHANOL-METABOLISM IN ICR MICE

The effects of a green tea (Camellia sinensis) extract on ethanol meta bolism in ICR male mice were studied, A crude green tea extract (GTE) and the tea components as(-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), (-)-epig allocatechin (EGC), and caffeine were administered before the tests, O ne hour later, the mice were orally given 2 g/kg body weight (b.w.) of ethanol (20% ethanol w/v), The results show that the levels in the bl ood and liver of ethanol and acetaldehyde were lower, and that the lev els of acetate and acetone were higher than in the controls orally giv en 500 mg/kg b.w. of GTE, After the administration of 75 mg/kg b.w. an d 225 mg/kg b.w. of EGCg, the acetate and acetone concentrations in th e blood and liver were lower than in the controls, The mice given caff eine at the same dose as that in GTE showed almost the same effects as the group treated with GTE, This suggests that EGCg and caffeine, the principal components of GTE, both had an effect on ethanol metabolism .