Evaluation of two tea beverages (camellia sinesis and matricaria chamomilla) as functional foods and their effects on liver biomarkers in wistar rats

Abstract

The present study seeks to evaluate Green tea and Chamomile tea as functional foods, and also to assess their effects on liver biomarkers. HPLC-DAD quali-quantitative analysis of Green tea (GT) and Chamomile tea (C) revealed the presence of some phenolic compounds in both teas, with GT, having the higher total phenolic content. The results of antioxidant indices of the teas revealed that both teas demonstrate good antioxidant action with GT ranking higher. The mineral analysis of the teas showed varied levels of the evaluated minerals and the calculated [phytate]/[Ca], [oxalate]/[Ca], [phytate]/[Zn], [Ca][phytate]/[Zn] molar ratios of the teas fell below the critical values, thereby revealing that Ca and Zn and other minerals would be bio-available. The effects of the teas on the liver biomarkers and the histological examinations showed no damaging effects on the liver. This by implication is that the teas, most especially GT could be explored as functional foods.