Black Tea (Camellia sinensis) Extract induced prenatal and postnatal toxicity in experimental albino rats

Background: Tea (Camellia sinensis) being the most widely drank beverage and despite having numerous beneficial role toward health and disease, its safety evaluation during pregnancy and prenatal, postnatal developmental period need to be monitored. Objective: This study was to evaluate the toxicity of black tea extract (BTE) in experimental pregnant rats and on their pups during prenatal and postnatal developmental periods. Materials and Methods: Pregnant female (120 ± 10 g) Wister albino rats were chosen for this study. Group 1 was control group where pregnant female rats were treated with saline. Group 2 and Group 3 were pregnant female rats treated with 50 mg and 100 mg BTE/kg/day, respectively, throughout prenatal and postnatal periods. All three groups of rats were provided food and drinking water ad libitum. Animals were examined through their urinary and serum parameters, histopathological studies, and biomorphometric studies in pups. All data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation with significance between the controls and the treated groups (n = 6). Collected data were subjected to the analysis of variance and Tukey test; P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: BTE produced significant alterations in urinary calcium, creatinine, and urea during prenatal period; exhibited proteinuria, ketonuria, and histology showed nephrotoxicity during postnatal period, and BTE also showed a significant increase in serum proinflammatory cytokines and decreased anti-inflammatory cytokines level compared to control group. BTE caused significant changes in biomorphometric parameters in the pups as compared with pups of control mothers. Conclusion: This study confirmed the BTE-induced toxicity in pregnant rats and their pups.