Abstract
Objective: Perinatal nicotine exposure induces malformations and imbalances the prooxidant/antioxidant status. The present study aimed to investigate the possible protective effects of green tea extract against perinatal nicotine-induced alterations in mice newborns. Materials and Methods: Pregnant mice received 0.25 mg kg(-1) nicotine on gestational day 12 to postnatal day 15. A control group received an equal volume of saline. Both control and nicotine exposed mice received 50 mg kg(-1) green tea on gestational day 1 to postnatal day 15. Results: Mice born to nicotine-exposed dams showed significantly decreased body weight at days 10, 15 and 20 after birth. Nicotine administration provoked chromatolysis in cerebral neurocytes and oxidative stress, evidenced by elevated lipid peroxidation and declined antioxidants, in newborn mice. Green tea supplementation significantly prevented body weight reduction, histological alterations and oxidative stress. In addition, nicotine significantly increased blood glucose and cholesterol, erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets, an effect that was significantly reversed following green tea supplementation. Conclusion: Green tea protects against perinatal nicotine-induced oxidative stress and hematologic, histologic and metabolic alterations. Therefore, green tea may be considered a potential candidate for attenuating smoking/nicotine-induced alterations in newborns.