Therapeutic benefits of green tea extract on various parameters in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients

Background and Objective: NAFLD affecting up to 30% of the population globally. Drug treatment options are limited with disappointing results. The dietary supplementation in the form of green tea is another option. Our objective was to investigate the effect of Green tea extract (GTE) supplementation on various parameters in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients.

Methods: This study was conducted Dept. of Medicine of Sheikh Zayed Medical College/Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan from 15 April 2016 to 15 July 2016. Eighty overweight, non diabetic and dyslipidemic patients of NAFLD, diagnosed on the basis of ultrasound and aminotransferases level were randomized for treatment with capsule GTE 500mg (n=40) and capsule placebo (n=40) twice a day for twelve weeks. Anthropometric parameters, liver enzymes, inflammatory markers and liver ultrasound imaging were estimated by SPSS-16 pre and post treatment.

Results: As compared to placebo, GTE caused a significant improvement in body weight (29.5±3.8 to 27.2±3.2 kg/m2 p=0.03), BMI (86±10.5 to 80±12.4 kg p=0.026), HOMA-IR (4.32±2.25 to 3.16± 1.6 p=0.0081) lipid profile (i.e. TC: 242.5±20.5 to 215.4±18.6 mg/dl p=0.005; TG:175±22.6 to145±18 mg/dlp=0.003; LDL-C:155±12.5 to 140±16.7 mg/dl p=0.011; HDL-C: 36.8±6.7 to46.4±5.8 mg/dl p =0.001, Aminotransferases (i.e. ALT: 70.4±15.8 to 52.8±12.2 IU/L p=0.04; AST:65.8±12.4 to 44.3± 8.5U/L p =0.002) and Inflammatory markers (hs-CRP: 3.14±0.58 to 2.18±0.32 p =0.023 Adiponectin: 8.46±1.02 to 10.55±3.42μg/ml p =0.003) GTE also caused a 67.5% regression of fatty liver changes on ultrasound as compared to placebo which is 25% only.

Conclusion: GTE therapy resulted in significant improvement in metabolic, chemical, inflammatory and radiological parameters of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients who were non-diabetic and dyslipidemic.