ABSTRACT
Endotoxemia is mainly caused by translocation of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) into the bloodstream. This in turn enhances systemic inflammation and inappropriate production of reactive oxygen species, leading to oxidative injury of vital internal organs and other dangerous effects that can be life-threatening. Here, we evaluated/compared the modulatory effects of consuming two different doses (2% and 4% of the diet) of brown seaweeds (Sargassum latifolium) for 40 consecutive days on thermo-respiratory response, inflammation, and oxidative stress in Barki male sheep (Ovis aries) challenged twice with bacterial LPS (1.25 µg/kg body weight, injected intravenously on days 28 and 35 of the experimental period). The results showed that the diet containing Sargassum latifolium (especially at 4%) modulated significantly (P < 0.05-0.001) the increase in the thermo-respiratory response (skin and rectal temperatures, and respiration rate) and the obtained systemic inflammation (blood leukocytosis, the elevation in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and the increase in serum proinflammatory cytokines and heat shock protein-70 concentrations) in the LPS-challenged sheep. In addition, it improved significantly (P < 0.001, especially at 4%) the total antioxidant capacity of the blood of LPS-challenged sheep by increasing the catalase and superoxide dismutase activities. Moreover, it decreased the blood markers of tissue damage (malondialdehyde concentration and the activities of alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase) in the LPS-challenged sheep. In conclusion, the diet containing 4% Sargassum latifolium may have potential impact in protecting the ruminant livestock from the serious effects of endotoxemia through improving the animals' antioxidant defense system and regulating their inflammatory and thermo-respiratory responses.
Subject(s)
Sargassum , Animals , Antioxidants , Dietary Supplements , Inflammation , Lipopolysaccharides , Male , Oxidative Stress , SheepABSTRACT
Heat stress (HS) is the most potent environmental stressors for livestock in tropical and subtropical regions. HS induced splanchnic tissue hypoxia and intestinal oxidative damage, leading to endotoxemia and systemic inflammation. The present study evaluated and compared the modulatory effects of feeding Barki male sheep (Ovis aries) on a standard concentrated diet containing 2% or 4% of the brown seaweed (Sargassum latifolium) followed by roughage for 40 consecutive days on the toxicity-induced by exposure to severe environmental HS (temperature-humidity index = 28.55 ± 1.62). The present study showed that the diet containing Sargassum latifolium (especially 4%) modulated significantly (P < 0.05-0.001) almost all changes shown in the HS-exposed sheep including the increase in the thermo-respiratory responses (skin and rectal temperatures, and respiration rate) and the resulted dyslipidemia, anemia, and systemic inflammation (blood leukocytosis, the elevation in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and the increase in serum proinflammatory cytokines and heat shock protein-70 concentrations). In addition, Sargassum latifolium improved significantly (P < 0.05-0.001) the body-weight gain, kidney functions (especially at the high dose), and blood antioxidant defense system (total antioxidant capacity, and the activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase) in the HS-exposed sheep, as well as protected the animals from oxidative tissue damage and the risk of atherosclerosis. In conclusion, feeding sheep with the diet containing 4% of Sargassum latifolium was safe and suitable for animal nutrition, as well as efficiently alleviated the harmful effects of the environmental HS in Barki sheep through improving the animal antioxidant defense system, and regulating the thermo-respiratory and inflammatory responses.
Subject(s)
Antioxidants/pharmacology , Dietary Supplements , Heat-Shock Response/drug effects , Seaweed , Sheep/physiology , Anemia/prevention & control , Anemia/veterinary , Animals , Antioxidants/administration & dosage , Body Temperature , Catalase/blood , Cytokines/blood , Dyslipidemias/prevention & control , Dyslipidemias/veterinary , HSP72 Heat-Shock Proteins/blood , Heat Stress Disorders/prevention & control , Heat Stress Disorders/veterinary , Male , Sheep/blood , Sheep Diseases/prevention & control , Superoxide Dismutase/bloodABSTRACT
Nowadays, medicinal plants have been widely used everywhere to provide essential care for many disorders including diabetes. Recent reports assumed that the antidiabetic activities of pomegranate aril juice (PAJ) may be ascribed to its punicalagin (PCG). Therefore, the present study evaluated and compared the antidiabetic activities of PAJ and its PCG, and monitored some mechanisms of their actions in streptozotocin-nicotinamide (STZ-NA) type 2 diabetic rats. STZ-NA diabetic rats were given, orally/daily, PAJ (100 or 300 mg/kg body weight, containing 2.6 and 7.8 mg of PCG/kg body weight, respectively), pure PCG (2.6 or 7.8 mg/kg body weight), or distilled water (vehicle) for 6 weeks. PAJ (especially at the high dose) alleviated significantly (P < 0.05-0.001) most signs of type 2 diabetes including body-weight loss, insulin resistance (IR) and hyperglycemia through decreasing serum tumor necrosis factor-α concentration and the expression of hepatic c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and increasing the skeletal muscle weight and the expression of hepatic insulin receptor substrate-1 in STZ-NA diabetic rats. Also, it decreased significantly (P < 0.001) the oxidative liver injury in STZ-NA diabetic rats through decreasing the hepatic lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide production, and improving the hepatic antioxidant defense system. Although the low dose of PCG induced some modulation in STZ-NA diabetic rats, the high dose of PCG did not show any valuable antidiabetic activity, but induced many side effects. In conclusion, PAJ was safer and more effective than pure PCG in alleviating IR and oxidative liver injury in STZ-NA diabetic rats.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism , Hydrolyzable Tannins/administration & dosage , Hydrolyzable Tannins/therapeutic use , Insulin Resistance , Liver/drug effects , Liver/pathology , Niacinamide/administration & dosage , Pomegranate/metabolism , Streptozocin/administration & dosage , Animals , Antioxidants/metabolism , Blood Glucose/metabolism , Body Weight/drug effects , Hydrolyzable Tannins/metabolism , Hyperglycemia/drug therapy , Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins/drug effects , JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/drug effects , Lipid Peroxidation/drug effects , Liver/metabolism , Male , Muscle, Skeletal/drug effects , Niacinamide/metabolism , Nitric Oxide/metabolism , Rats , Streptozocin/metabolism , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/drug effectsABSTRACT
AIM: Recently, there has been an increasing interest in tea (Camellia sinensis) as a protective agent against inflammatory diseases. Here, we evaluated/compared the anti-inflammatory activity of two different doses (0.5 and 1.0 g/kg body weight) of green tea aqueous extract (GTE, rich in catechins) and black tea aqueous extract (BTE, rich in theaflavins and thearubigins) in rat adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). METHODS: Adjuvant-induced arthritis rat model received orally/daily distilled water as vehicle, indomethacin (1.0 mg/kg body weight; a non-steroidal/anti-inflammatory drug), or tea aqueous extracts (for 28 or 14 consecutive days starting from day 0 or 14 of arthritis induction, respectively). RESULTS: The present study showed that only the high dose of GTE (from day 0) significantly alleviated (P < 0.05-0.001) all complications shown in arthritic rats, including synovial joint inflammation, elevation in erythrocyte sedimentation rate, blood leukocytosis (due to lymphocytosis and neutrocytosis), and changes in weight/cellularity of lymphoid organs. The anti-arthritic activity of the high dose of GTE (from day 0) was comparable (P > 0.05) with that of indomethacin (12.9-53.8 vs. 9.5-48.4%, respectively) and mediated by significantly decreasing and down-regulating (P < 0.001) the systemic production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the expression of chemokine receptor-5 in synovial tissues, respectively. Moreover, the anti-arthritic activity of tea aqueous extracts was in the following order: high dose of GTE > low dose of GTE ≥ high dose of BTE > low dose of BTE. CONCLUSION: The present study proved the anti-inflammatory activity of GTE over BTE and equal to that of indomethacin in AIA rat model.
Subject(s)
Antirheumatic Agents/pharmacology , Arthritis, Experimental/prevention & control , Camellia sinensis , Joints/drug effects , Tea , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology , Arthritis, Experimental/blood , Arthritis, Experimental/chemically induced , Arthritis, Experimental/immunology , Blood Sedimentation , Cytokines/blood , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Edema/chemically induced , Edema/prevention & control , Freund's Adjuvant , Indomethacin/pharmacology , Inflammation Mediators/blood , Joints/immunology , Joints/metabolism , Male , Phytotherapy , Plants, Medicinal , Rats, Wistar , Receptors, CCR5/metabolism , Synovial Membrane/drug effects , Synovial Membrane/immunology , Synovial Membrane/metabolism , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Malathion and carbaryl are the most widely used organophosphate and carbamate insecticides, respectively, especially in developing countries; they pose a potential health hazard for both humans and animals. Here, we evaluated the protective effects of an odorless (free from allicin) Kyolic aged garlic extract (AGE, containing 0.1% S-allylcysteine; 200 mg/kg body weight) on the toxicity induced by 0.1 LD50 of malathion (89.5 mg/kg body weight) and/or carbaryl (33.9 mg/kg body weight) in male Wistar rats. Doses were orally administered to animals for four consecutive weeks. The present study showed that AGE completely modulated most adverse effects induced by malathion and/or carbaryl in rats including the normocytic normochromic anemia, immunosuppression, and the delay in the skin-burning healing process through normalizing the count of blood cells (erythrocytes, leucocytes and platelets), hemoglobin content, hematocrit value, blood glucose-6-phosphodehydrogenase activity, weights and cellularity of lymphoid organs, serum γ-globulin concentration, and the delayed type of hypersensitivity response to the control values, and accelerating the inflammatory and proliferative phases of burn-healing. In addition, AGE completely modulated the decrease in serum reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration and the increase in clotting time in malathion alone and carbaryl alone treated rats. Moreover, AGE induced a significant increase (P < 0.001) in serum GSH concentration (above the normal value) and accelerating burn-healing process in healthy rats. In conclusion, AGE was effective in modulating most adverse effects induced in rats by malathion and carbaryl, and hence may be useful as a dietary adjunct for alleviating the toxicity in highly vulnerable people to insecticides intoxication. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 789-798, 2017.
Subject(s)
Burns/pathology , Carbaryl/toxicity , Garlic/chemistry , Malathion/toxicity , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Wound Healing/drug effects , Animals , Blood Cell Count , Blood Cells/cytology , Blood Cells/drug effects , Garlic/metabolism , Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase/blood , Glutathione/blood , Hemoglobins/analysis , Hypersensitivity, Delayed/prevention & control , Immunosuppression Therapy , Insecticides/toxicity , Male , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Rats , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
AIM: Besides joint destruction, extra-articular complications (outside the locomotor system) are frequent in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, especially cardiovascular, hematological and metabolic disorders. Here, we evaluated and compared the protective activity of two different doses of mixture of ginger and turmeric rhizomes powder (1 : 1) suspended in distilled water (GTaq) in alleviating both articular and extra-articular manifestations in rat adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). METHODS: Arthritis was induced by a single intra-dermal injection of 0.1 mL of Complete Freund's adjuvant (containing heat-killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis) into the palmar surface of the left hind paw after the rats were subjected to light diethyl ether anesthesia. Arthritic rats received orally and daily (for 28 consecutive days) distilled water as vehicle, indomethacin (1.0 mg/kg body weight), or GTaq (200 or 400 mg/kg body weight) from the day of arthritis induction. RESULTS: The present study showed that GTaq (especially the high dose) was more effective (4.2-38.4% higher, P < 0.05-0.001) than indomethacin (a non-steroidal/anti-inflammatory drug) in alleviating the loss in body weight gain, the histopathological changes observed in ankle joints, blood leukocytosis and thrombocytosis, iron deficiency anemia, serum hypoalbuminemia and globulinemia, the impairment of kidney functions, and the risks for cardiovascular disease in arthritic rats. These protective effects of GTaq were mediated through increasing the food intake and decreasing the systemic inflammation that occur at the appearance of polyarthritis, oxidative stress and dyslipidemia. CONCLUSION: Ginger-turmeric rhizomes mixture may be effective against RA severity and complications as shown in an AIA rat model.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Arthritis, Experimental/drug therapy , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy , Atherosclerosis/prevention & control , Curcuma , Joints/drug effects , Kidney Diseases/prevention & control , Kidney/drug effects , Plant Preparations/pharmacology , Zingiber officinale , Animals , Arthritis, Experimental/blood , Arthritis, Experimental/complications , Arthritis, Experimental/immunology , Arthritis, Experimental/physiopathology , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/blood , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/complications , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/immunology , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/physiopathology , Atherosclerosis/blood , Atherosclerosis/immunology , Atherosclerosis/physiopathology , Biomarkers/blood , Body Weight/drug effects , Cardiovascular Diseases/immunology , Cardiovascular Diseases/prevention & control , Disease Progression , Dyslipidemias/immunology , Dyslipidemias/prevention & control , Eating/drug effects , Freund's Adjuvant , Humans , Indomethacin/pharmacology , Joints/immunology , Joints/physiopathology , Kidney/immunology , Kidney/physiopathology , Kidney Diseases/blood , Kidney Diseases/immunology , Kidney Diseases/physiopathology , Male , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Phytotherapy , Plants, Medicinal , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Rhizome , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
We made an attempt to evaluate/compare the cardioprotective activity of two different doses (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight, given orally for 30 consecutive days) of Egyptian sweet marjoram leaf powder (MLP) and marjoram leaf aqueous extract (MLE) against isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial infarcted rats (150 mg/kg body weight, twice at an interval of 24 h on days 29 and 30). The present study showed (probably for the first time) that both MLP and MLE (especially the high dose) significantly alleviated (P < 0.05-0.001) erythrocytosis, granulocytosis, thrombocytosis, shortened clotting time, the increase in relative heart weight, myocardial oxidative stress and the leakage of heart enzymes (creatine phosphokinase (CPK), CPK-MB isoenzyme, lactate dehydrogenase and aminotransferase) in ISO-treated rats through reactivating non-enzymic (reduced glutathione) and enzymic (catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, superoxide dismutase) antioxidant defence system and inhibiting the production of nitric oxide and lipid peroxidation in heart tissues. The modulatory effects of marjoram leaves shown in the present study were dose-dependent in most cases and much higher in MLE (4.3-20.3 % for all parameters taken together). In addition, the doses used in the present study were considered safe. In conclusion, this study may have a significant impact on myocardial infarcted patients.
Subject(s)
Cardiotonic Agents/pharmacology , Hematologic Diseases/drug therapy , Myocardial Infarction/drug therapy , Origanum/chemistry , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plant Leaves/chemistry , Animals , Blood Coagulation/drug effects , Cardiotonic Agents/toxicity , Disease Models, Animal , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Enzymes/metabolism , Heart/drug effects , Hematologic Diseases/chemically induced , Hematologic Diseases/metabolism , Isoproterenol/toxicity , Male , Myocardial Infarction/chemically induced , Myocardial Infarction/metabolism , Myocardium/enzymology , Myocardium/pathology , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Pancytopenia/chemically induced , Pancytopenia/drug therapy , Pancytopenia/metabolism , Polycythemia/chemically induced , Polycythemia/drug therapy , Polycythemia/metabolism , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Thrombocytosis/chemically induced , Thrombocytosis/drug therapy , Thrombocytosis/metabolism , Whole Blood Coagulation TimeABSTRACT
Cyclophosphamide (CP) is one of the most popular alkylating anticancer drugs that show a high therapeutic index, despite the widespread side effects and toxicity particularly in high-dose regimens and long-term use. Here, we evaluated and compared the efficacy of two different doses (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight, given orally for 30 consecutive days) of Egyptian sweet marjoram leaf powder (MLP) and marjoram leaf aqueous extract (MLE) in alleviating the genotoxicity, immunosuppression and other complications induced by CP in non-tumour-bearing albino rats. The present study showed (probably for the first time) that both MLP and MLE significantly alleviated (P < 0·05-0·001) most side effects and toxicity of CP-treated rats including the increase in chromosomal aberrations of bone marrow cells and serum malondialdehyde level, the decrease in the level of serum Ig, the delayed type of hypersensitivity response as also the weights and cellularity of lymphoid organs, and myelosuppression, leucopenia, macrocytic normochromic anaemia as well as thrombocytopenia by reactivating the non-enzymic (reduced glutathione) and enzymic (catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, superoxide dismutase) antioxidant system and increasing the mitotic index of bone marrow cells. The modulatory effects of marjoram leaves shown in the present study were dose dependent in most cases and much higher in MLE (21-23 % for all parameters taken together). In addition, the doses used in the present study were considered safe. In conclusion, sweet marjoram leaves (especially in the form of a herbal tea) may be useful as an immunostimulant and in reducing genotoxicity in patients under chemotherapeutic interventions.
Subject(s)
Cyclophosphamide/antagonists & inhibitors , Dietary Supplements , Immunosuppressive Agents/antagonists & inhibitors , Origanum/chemistry , Plant Leaves/chemistry , Plant Preparations/therapeutic use , Protective Agents/therapeutic use , Animals , Antimutagenic Agents/administration & dosage , Antimutagenic Agents/adverse effects , Antimutagenic Agents/therapeutic use , Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating/adverse effects , Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating/antagonists & inhibitors , Bone Marrow Cells/drug effects , Bone Marrow Cells/immunology , Bone Marrow Cells/metabolism , Chromosome Aberrations/chemically induced , Chromosome Aberrations/drug effects , Cyclophosphamide/adverse effects , Dietary Supplements/adverse effects , Egypt , Immunosuppressive Agents/adverse effects , Male , Mutagens/adverse effects , Mutagens/chemistry , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Plant Extracts/adverse effects , Plant Extracts/therapeutic use , Plant Preparations/administration & dosage , Plant Preparations/adverse effects , Powders , Protective Agents/administration & dosage , Protective Agents/adverse effects , Random Allocation , Rats , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
Preliminary trials have suggested possible hypoglycaemic, hypolipidaemic and immunomodulatory properties of the fenugreek plant. Here, we evaluated and compared the efficacy of Egyptian fenugreek seed powder (FSP, 0·5 and 1·0 g/kg body weight) in alleviating the experimentally induced metabolic syndrome (in type 1 diabetic and obese rat models) and experimentally induced immunosuppression and delay in burn-healing (in cyclophosphamide (CP)-treated rats). FSP significantly alleviated (P < 0·05-0·001) most signs of the metabolic syndrome resulting from experimentally induced type 1 diabetes and obesity by 40-76 and 56-78 %, respectively, including hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia, elevation in atherogenic indices, impairment of liver functions, severe changes in body weight and oxidative stress. Besides, FSP (especially the high dose) completely modulated the immunosuppressive activity of CP including leucopenia (resulting from neutropenia and lymphopenia), decrease in weights and cellularity of lymphoid organs, serum γ-globulin level, delayed type of hypersensitivity response and delay in the skin-burning healing process. FSP decreased the immunosuppressive activity of CP by 57-108 %. These beneficial effects of FSP were dose dependent in most cases, and FSP doses used here were considered safe in general. FSP was more efficient in alleviating the signs of the metabolic syndrome in the obese animals (over 9 %) than in the type 1 diabetic animals. Moreover, the immunostimulant activity of fenugreek seeds exceeded their anti-metabolic syndrome activity by 15-24 %. In conclusion, fenugreek seeds may be useful not only as a dietary adjunct for the control of the metabolic syndrome in diabetic/obese patients, but also as an immunostimulant in immunocompromised patients such as those under chemotherapeutic interventions.
Subject(s)
Burns/drug therapy , Cyclophosphamide/adverse effects , Metabolic Syndrome/drug therapy , Phytotherapy , Trigonella , Animals , Body Weight/drug effects , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Hypersensitivity, Delayed/drug therapy , Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacology , Hypoglycemic Agents/therapeutic use , Hypolipidemic Agents/pharmacology , Hypolipidemic Agents/therapeutic use , Immunosuppression Therapy/methods , Leukocytes/drug effects , Leukocytes/metabolism , Liver/drug effects , Liver/physiopathology , Male , Metabolic Syndrome/immunology , Obesity/chemically induced , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Plant Preparations/pharmacology , Plant Preparations/therapeutic use , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Seeds , Wound Healing/drug effects , gamma-Globulins/metabolismABSTRACT
Spices which show hypoglycaemic, hypolipidaemic and antioxidant activities may have a role in the treatment of diabetes and its complications. The present study aimed to compare the modulatory effects of garlic, ginger, turmeric and their mixture on the metabolic syndrome and oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ)-nicotinamide diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in overnight fasted rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (65 mg/kg body weight) and nicotinamide (110 mg/kg body weight, 15 min before STZ injection). Diabetic rats orally received either distilled water (as vehicle) or 200 mg/kg body weight of garlic bulb, ginger rhizome or turmeric rhizome powder suspension separately or mixed together (GGT mixture) for twenty-eight consecutive days. The results showed that these spices and their mixture significantly alleviated (80-97 %, P < 0·05-0·001) signs of the metabolic syndrome (hyperglycaemia and dyslipidaemia), the elevation in atherogenic indices and cellular toxicity in STZ-nicotinamide diabetic rats by increasing the production of insulin (26-37 %), enhancing the antioxidant defence system (31-52 %, especially GSH) and decreasing lipid peroxidation (60-97 %). The greatest modulation was seen in diabetic rats that received garlic and the GGT mixture (10-23 % more than that in the ginger and turmeric groups). In conclusion, garlic or the mix including garlic appears to have an impact on each of the measures more effectively than ginger and turmeric and may have a role in alleviating the risks of the metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular complications.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/therapy , Hypoglycemic Agents/therapeutic use , Hypolipidemic Agents/therapeutic use , Oxidative Stress , Phytotherapy , Spices , Animals , Blood Glucose/analysis , Cholesterol/blood , Curcuma , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/blood , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism , Garlic , Zingiber officinale , Glutathione/metabolism , Lipids/blood , Lipoproteins/blood , Liver/metabolism , Male , Plant Roots , Random Allocation , Rats , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
Cardiovascular complications are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes, obesity and the metabolic syndrome. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in tea as a protective agent against CVD. Here, we compared the modulatory effects of two different doses (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight given orally for 28 consecutive days) of black tea aqueous extract (BTE, rich in theaflavins and thearubigins) and green tea aqueous extract (GTE, rich in catechins) on experimentally induced hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia and liver dysfunction by alloxan (which destroys pancreatic beta-cells and induces type 1 diabetes) and a cholesterol-rich diet (which induces obesity and type 2 diabetes) in male Wistar albino rats. Both tea extracts significantly alleviated most signs of the metabolic syndrome including hyperglycaemia (resulting from type 1 and 2 diabetes), dyslipidaemia and impairment of liver functions induced by alloxan or the cholesterol-rich diet in the animals. Also, the tea extracts significantly modulated both the severe decrease and increase in body weight induced by alloxan and the high-cholesterol diet, respectively. The modulatory effects obtained here were partial or complete, but significant and dose dependent, and slightly more in GTE in most cases. No harmful effects were detected for tea consumption on all parameters measured, except that the high dose of both tea extracts significantly decreased the spleen weight:body weight ratio and induced lymphopenia. The present study supports the hypothesis that both black and green teas may have beneficial effects against the risks of the metabolic syndrome and CVD as shown in rat models of human obesity and diabetes.