Green Tea confers Protection on the Retina in MPTP Mice Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Aim: This study investigated the impact of MPTP induced Parkinson’s disease (PD) and the protective and/or curative effects of green tea on the retina.

Study Design: Twenty-five adult male mice (Mus musculus) weighing between 20-30 grams were used for this study. The mice were randomly placed into five groups of five mice each: A (Control; mice pellets), B (1Methyl -4-phenyl-2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) 10 mg/kg, IP), C (MPTP + Green tea (GT); 300 mg/kg GT orally), D (GT + MPTP), E (GT; 300 mg/kg).

Methodology: At the end of the experimental protocols, the eyes were excised weighed and processed to determine the neurotransmitter [Dopamine, Gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) and calcium ion (CA2+)] levels in the retina spectrophotometrically and histology of the retina using Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) stain.

Results: The results showed significant (P<0.005) reduction in the relative eye to body weight and increase in the retinal diameter in the MPTP group when compared with the control. Whereas treatments with green tea did not significantly (P<0.005) increase the relative eye to body weight but intake of green tea alone does, while the retinal diameter is significantly reduced by pre-treatment with green tea. The concentration of Calcium was significantly increased by MPTP and significantly reduced by green tea intake, whereas only the green tea alone and green tea co-treated groups significantly increased dopamine levels.

Conclusion: From our results we can preliminary conclude that green tea conferred protection on the retina against the adverse effects of MPTP in mice model of Parkinson’s disease.