role of green tea on strvation induced morphological changes in jejunal villi of male albino rat: histological, histochemical and scanning electron microscopic study

ABSTRACT

Green Tea is a naturally occurring compound. It is recognized as a very powerful antioxidant, anti inflammatory arid anti carcinogenic agent. The present work was done to investigate the role of green tea administration on morphological changes of the jejunal villi that might occur after starvation. Twenty male albino rats were used and divided into 4 equal groups, Group I [control rats]. Group II [starved rats for 7 day's], GroupIII [green tea treated rats for 7 days after 7 days of starvation,] and Group IV [recovered rats that were refed for 7 days after 7 days of starvation]. Animals were sacrificed at the end of the experiment. Jejunal villi of the starved rats were apparently thickened. There was significant increase in the meals villas thickness and a significant decrease in the mean height of the surface columnar cells as compared to that of' the control group. Tire core of the villi showed edema and cellular infiltration. There was a weak PAS positive reaction at the brush border of the columnar cells and the mean number 0/goblet ceils/villus was significantly decreased as compared to that of tire control group. with scanning electron microscope, starved rats showed loss of the microvilli at the apex of some of the villi. Poorly developed goblet cells were also observed. All these changes were improved and almost returned to normal in the green tea treated rats [group III,]. While in recovered rats [group IV] the improvement of starvation induced morphological changes of tire jejunal villi was minimum. So, it was concluded that the green tea administration could Improve and accelerate tire intestinal response to refeeding after starvation