3.2.5. Diabetic Hepatopathy

Diabetic hepatopathy is potentially less common [126] but tends to be more prevalent among children [127]. Several studies suggested that tea and tea polyphenols could play important roles in diabetic liver injury through their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities [128,129].

In apparently healthy individuals, green tea extract could reduce oxidative stress and reduce the risk of diabetic liver diseases by lowering the malondialdehyde level and increasing the glutathione level [126]. In addition, green tea could ameliorate liver inflammation and damage caused by diabetes mellitus by lowering angiotensin II receptors [130]. Further, black tea extract protected the liver by increasing cellular antioxidant capacity and reducing membrane lipid peroxidation, inhibiting oxidative stress in diabetic and obese rats caused by alloxan and high cholesterol diets [17]. A dietary supplement of yellow tea and write tea regulated glucose and lipid metabolism by reducing the expression of fatty acid synthase, a membrane surface molecule leading to cell apoptosis, and sterol response element-binding protein 1 in db/db mice [15].

Notably, the molecular mechanisms of EGCG on diabetes mellitus and its complications are summarized in Figure 2.
