Drink green tea to reduce kidney damage caused by cancer drug 'cisplatin'

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Everyone knows that green tea is a healthier substitute to normal beverages like coffee and other types of tea and also promotes many health benefits.

Recently, a study was conducted by AIIMS researchers which revealed that green tea is effective in reducing the kidney toxicity and damage caused by an anti-cancer drug, cisplatin.

The research study has evaluated the usefulness of ECG, a polyphenolic compound obtained from green tea in preventing the damage of kidneys induced by the cisplatin.

Side effects of cisplatin may include nephrotoxicity and life-threatening damaged kidney.

The findings was conducted by AIIMS Professor Jagriti Bhatia from the Pharmacology Department. The study was published in journal 'Laboratory Investigations' recently.

"If this research progresses, it may lead to a new drug which can combat the ill effects of cisplatin," said Bhatia.

Approximately, 30 per cent of the treated patients may develop nephrotoxicity after receiving an initial dose of cisplatin. Cisplatin causes production of free radicals inside cells in kidney which leads to oxidative stress and inflammation.

The study was published in journal 'Laboratory Investigations'.

(With IANS inputs)