A Potent Complex of Zinc Oxide Nano-Particles and Green Tea Extracts

Zinc oxide nano-particles (ZnO NPs) are considered one of the excellent metals that are used in different areas as an antimicrobial and optical agent. Different compounds have been used for green synthesis of ZnO NPs and have revealed improved therapeutic properties. This indicates the use of ZnO NP as potential nano antibiotic or drug carriers for drug delivery to the target cancer cell¹.

Previously, ZnO NPs with green tea extract has been studied by many investigators². They found that polyphenolic and catechin compounds exist in green tea had intrigued a lot of interest due to their benefits to human health and their antioxidant capacity. The complex can be used against several patho-physiological conditions as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, dementia and even cancer³.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is used to improve the taste in food. However, the long-term use of MSG can induce oxidative stress⁴. MSG intake has many side effects on the brain, obesity, sex organs and metabolism. It can cause disturbances in metabolism with the increase in insulin, fatty acids and triglycerides in serum. It affected the liver function resulting in elevation of transaminases’ levels and bile synthesis, it also led to oxidative stress in liver and to the pathological changes in ovaries and fallopian tube⁵.

Therefore a new study was carried in order to evaluate the efficacy of the anti-hyperlipidemia effects of green tea leaves extract (GTE)/ZnO NPs complex against monosodium glutamate⁶. The alteration of enzyme activity of liver functions [alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALK) and γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT)] and lipid profile alternation was demonstrated.

It was found that hyperlipidemia, induced by MSG-treatment caused the marked elevation in all parameters of the lipid profile except HDL-C which was declined. Moreover, the disturbance of lipid profile was auxiliary with elevated markers of liver function as in the present study and histological alternation. In the liver injury, the hepatocytes are disturbed and resulting in the elevation of the serum liver enzymes.

GTE/ZnO NPs complex has been settled biochemically as an antioxidant which ability to scavenge the free radicals (superoxide, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl) and decline the oxidative stress. Moreover, it protects the architecture of the liver against different doses of MSG3. Hence, the rats in the group treated with GTE/ZnO NPs complex and MSO showed the decrease in the enzymes activity and lipid profile as compared to MSG alone⁷.

References:

1. Khan, S.T., J. Musarrat and A.A. Al-Khedhairy, 2016. Countering drug resistance, infectious diseases, and sepsis using metal and metal oxides nanoparticles: Current status. Colloids Surf. B: Biointerfaces, 146: 70-83.
2. Suzuki, Y., N. Miyoshi and M. Isemura, 2012. Health-promoting effects of green tea. Proc. Jap. Acad. Ser. B, 88: 88-101.
3. Islam, M.A., 2012. Cardiovascular effects of green tea catechins: Progress and promise. Recent Patents Cardiovasc. Drug Discov., 7: 88-99.
4. Husarova, V. and D. Ostatnikova, 2013. Monosodium glutamate toxic effects and their implications for human intake: A review. JMED Res. 10.5171/2013.608765
5. Diniz, Y.S., A.A.H. Fernandes, K.E. Campos, F. Mani, B.O. Ribas and E.L.B. Novelli, 2004. Toxicity of hypercaloric diet and monosodium glutamate: Oxidative stress and metabolic shifting in hepatic tissue. Food Chem. Toxicol., 42: 313-319.
6. Reham Z. Hamza, Fawziah A. Al-Salmi and Nahla S. El-Shenawy, 2018. Nanoparticles Effects on Zinc Oxide/green Tea Complex on the Lipid Profile and Liver Functions of Rats after Monosodium Glutamate Treatment. J. Applied Sci., 18: 65-70.
7. Amanolahi, F. and H. Rakhshande, 2013. Effects of ethanolic extract of green tea on decreasing the level of lipid profile in rat. Avicenna J. Phytomed., 3: 98-105.