Aqueous extract of black tea (Camellia sinensis) prevents ethanol + cholecystokinin-induced pancreatitis in a rat model

Black Tea Extract (BTE), a phytocompound has been attributed with a plethora of health-promoting actions. We have previously demonstrated that BTE inhibits chronic hepatitis in a rat model induced with high-fat and ethanol (EtOH). This study reports that BTE prevents altered pancreatic acinar cell functions, oxidative stress, inflammatory changes and DNA damage in the EtOH + cholecystokinin (CCK)-induced model of pancreatitis. The EtOH + CCK model rats were administered with BTE, and were examined the activity of pancreatic digestive enzymes (amylase and lipase), proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α), oxidative and antioxidative enzymes (nitric oxide, NO; malondialdehyde, MDA; superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT), antioxidant level (glutathione, GSH), histopathological changes and the integrity of genomic DNA. Results show that because of chronic EtOH treatment, serum level of amylase and lipase (two biomarkers for pancreatitis) and pancreatic levels of MDA and NO (two biomarkers of oxidative stress) increased significantly, which could be effectively blunted by BTE. BTE could normalize EtOH + CCK-induced suppressed activities of SOD and CAT, and GSH content of pancreatic tissue. Also, histopathological and inflammatory changes during EtOH + CCK-induced pancreatitis could be blunted by BTE. Furthermore, BTE could effectively reduce EtOH + CCK-induced increase in DNA fragmentation and damage. These findings suggest that BTE prevents pancreatitis caused by chronic EtOH + CCK toxicity presumably by enhancing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic activity in rats.