녹차카테킨은 다양한 생리활성을 지닌 것으로 알려지고 있다. 본 실험에서는 사염화탄소와 갈락토사민으로 유발된 간독성에 대한 녹차카테킨의 간기증보호효과가 연구되었다. 녹차 카테킨(50 mg/kg와 100 mg/kg)은 사염화탄소 (0.5 ml/kg)와 갈락토사민(400 mg/kg)이 투여되기 전 그리고 투여후 3일동안 흰쥐에 경구투여되었고, 간기능지표로 AST와 ALT를 측정하였다. 녹차카테킨(50 mg/kg)은 사염화탄소 처리된 랫드에서 상승된 혈중 AST와 ALT 확성을 전투여군(262${pm}$11, 80${pm}$19에서 153${pm}$22, 55${pm}$25로)과 후투여군(156${pm}$40, 105${pm}$3 에서 106${pm}$22, 55${pm}$9로) 모두 감소시켰다. 또한 갈락토사민으로 유도한 경우에도 AST와 ALT 수치는 전투여군(576${pm}$24, 276${pm}$68 에서 236${pm}$13, 115${pm}$13로)과 후투여군(233${pm}$54, 137${pm}$11 에서 119${pm}$23, 44${pm}$17로)에서 모두 유의성있게 감소된 결과를 나타내었다. 또한 간 조직학적 검사에서도 사염화탄소와 갈락토사민으로 유도된 간경변을 유의성있게 억제하였다. 이상의 결과로 볼 때 녹차카테킨은 간독성에 의한 병변을 예방 및 치료할 수 있는 신약후보물질로서의 가능성을 시사한다.
Green tea catechin (GTC) is known to have a wide variety of pharmacological activites. In the present study, the effects of GTC on acute hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$) and galactosamine were examined in rats. Two doses (50 or 100 mg/kg) of GTC were administered to rats orally for 3 days befor or after the induction of hepatotoxicity. A hepatotoxicity was induced by the inpraperitoneal injection of the $CCl_4$ (0.5 ml/kg) or galactosamine (400 mg/kg). GTC(50 mg/kg) reduced the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level of the $CCl_4$-intoxicated rats in the pre-treatment group (from 262${pm}$11, 80${pm}$19 to 153${pm}$22, 55${pm}$25), and also in the post-treatment group (from 156${pm}$40, 105${pm}$3 to 106${pm}$22, 55${pm}$9), respectively. And GTC (50 mg/kg) also reduced the levels of AST and ALT in both pre-treatment (from 576${pm}$24, 276${pm}$68 to 236${pm}$13, 115${pm}$13) and post-treatment (from 233${pm}$54, 137${pm}$11 to 119${pm}$23, 44${pm}$17) when induced by galactosamine. GTC also showed the inhibition of pathogenesis of hepatocyte of $CCl_{4^-}$ and galatosamine-intoxicated rat. These results suggest that green tea catechin (GTC) may be useful fur the prevention and therapy of hepatotoxic pathogenesis.
