EFFECT OF GREEN TEA EXTRACT ON FOOD CONSUMPTION AND BODY WEIGHT IN EXPERIMENTALLY-INDUCED MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION IN ADULT MALE ALBINO RAT

Abstract

Background: There is an increasing realization that herbs can influence the course of heart disease and its treatment. Green tea is an important medicinal plant having strong anti-oxidant properties. Objective: Evaluation of the effect of green tea extract on food consumption and body weight of isoprenaline (ISO)-induced myocardial infarction in adult male albino rat. Material and Methods: Seventy adult male albino rats of local strain were chosen as an animal model for this study weighed 110 -130 g (average weight was 120 g). Myocardial infarction was induced in experimental rats by injecting isoprenaline. Food consumption was measured daily. Body weight was measured at the beginning and at the end of experiment. Heart weight/body weight ratio was calculated at the end of the experiment (30 days). Results: During the experiment, changes in body weight and food consumption in different groups were more or less concomitant together. Increase in body weight was associated with increase in food consumption and vice versa. ISO showed an increase of food consumption which was accompanied by an increase of body weight. GTE showed reduction of food consumption which was accompanied by loss of body weight, while metoprolol produced an increase of food consumption accompanied by an increase of body weight. GTE and metoprolol in combination produced the same effect that produced by green tea extract. Conclusion: Green tea extract is effective in decreasing food consumption and body weight.