Camellia Sinensis

Camellia Sinensis

Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze, a plant native to China and Southeast Asia, is globally a very important plant for humans. The black and green teas made from the leaves have been consumed by humans for thousands of years as a stimulant, and tea is today the second most widely consumed beverage after water. Additionally, its habitual consumption has long been associated with health benefits against a wide array of diseases and conditions, including diabetes, inflammation, clastogenesis, vomiting, diarrhea, cardiac ailments, and several types of cancer. More recently, a large number of scientific studies with experimental animals has shown tea to reduce liver injury caused by alcohol, carbon tetrachloride, ischemic reperfusion, lead, viral hepatitis, phenobarbitol, microcystin, azathioprine, galactosamine, lipopolysaccharide, and cypermethrin. Studies have also shown that tea prevents chemical-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. This chapter summarizes the results related to the hepatoprotective properties of tea, and also emphasizes the aspects that warrant future research to establish its utility in geriatric conditions in humans.


Last Updated on: Nov 26, 2024

Global Scientific Words in Biochemistry