TO STUDY THE ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES OF OIL FROM LEAVES OF CAMELLIA SINENSIS L. IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMAL MODELS

The present study has been conducted to search out the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory potential of leaves of Camellia sinensis L. oil (Tea oil, TO).  Forty-eight rats were included for 14 days experiment namely: Group I was normal to control, Group II was vehicle control, and Group III to VIII rats were subjected to paracetamol at the dose of 15 mg/ kg body weight/day to induce oxidative stress and inflammation (OS and I rats). Group IV to VII rats orally received TO at the dose of 100, 200, 400, 800 mg/kg, respectively and Group VIII received olive oil at 400 mg/kg. Paracetamol causes a significant (p < 0.05) increase in plasma urea, creatinine, glutamine-oxalic-transaminase, glutamate-pyruvate-transaminase, alkaline-phosphatase, interleukin-18 and tissue-injury-molecule-1, malondialdehyde and degeneration of hepatic cells in case of only OS and I rats. But treatment with TO in different doses showed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease above said parameters. We observed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in superoxide dismutase, catalase, interleukin-10 levels in OS and I rats and also treatment with TO showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in superoxide dismutase, catalase, interleukin-10 level in group IV to VII compared with only group III rats. Tea oil shows potent antioxidative activities against high-dose paracetamol-induced oxidative stress and inflammation by regulating the levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, whereas the most effective dose TO was 400 mg/kg.