Studies on toxicity, anti-stress and hepato-protective properties of Kombucha tea.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to evaluate toxicity, anti-stress activity and hepato-protective properties of Kombucha tea.


METHODS
Kombucha tea was fed orally for 15 days using three different doses i.e. normal dose, five and ten times the dose. Rats were then sacrificed and various biochemical, and histological parameters were estimated. Anti-stress activity was evaluated either by 1) by exposing animals to cold and hypoxia and estimating the levels of malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione in plasma/blood or 2) by subjecting the animals to restraint stress and recording faecal output. Hepato-toxicity was induced by challenging the animals to an acute dose of paracetamol (1 gm/kg) orally and determining the plasma levels of SGPT, SGOT and MDA.


RESULTS
The effect of oral administration of different doses of K-tea to albino rats was examined and the results indicate that K-tea has no significant toxicity as revealed by various biochemical and histopathological parameters. K-tea has been found to prevent lipid peroxidation and fall in reduced glutathione level when rats were exposed to cold and hypoxia in simulated chamber. Further, K-tea has also been found to decrease the Wrap-restraint faecal pellet output in rats. K-tea has also been found to decrease paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
The study shows that K-tea has anti-stress and hepato-protective activities.
Pauline
T
T
Defence Institute of Physiology Allied Sciences, Timarpur, Lucknow Road, Delhi-110054, India.
Dipti
P
P
Anju
B
B
Kavimani
S
S
Sharma
S K
SK
Kain
A K
AK
Sarada
S K
SK
Sairam
M
M
Ilavazhagan
G
G
Devendra
K
K
Selvamurthy
W
W
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria; D001628:Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015003:Yeasts
D020011:Protective Agents; D005978:Glutathione