TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILE OF Camellia sinensis: NA INTEGRATIVE REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66104/hj0fxz98Keywords:
Camellia sinensis, Toxicology, In vitro, In vivoAbstract
The use of medicinal plants as a therapeutic alternative has persisted for years. In this context, Camellia sinensis stands out, whose leaf tea is the second most consumed non-alcoholic beverage in the world and is associated with therapeutic properties. However, excessive consumption may cause harm to health. In view of this, the present study aimed to conduct an integrative review regarding the toxic aspects of the species. Data collection was carried out using the following databases: BVS, SciELO, ScienceDirect, and PubMed, using the following health descriptors (DeCS): Camellia sinensis, toxicology, toxicity, drug interactions, in vitro, in vivo, and adverse reactions, linked to the Boolean operators “AND” and “OR”. As a filter, the time frame from 2001 to 2025 was used. The initial quantitative survey resulted in 907 articles according to the established theme, with 145 results from the BVS, 194 from SciELO, 475 from ScienceDirect, and 93 from PubMed. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, seven articles were included for the development of this integrative review. It was verified that Camellia sinensis extracts showed, in in vitro and in vivo assays, drug interactions (antagonism with chemotherapeutic agents), potential neurotoxic and hepatotoxic effects, in addition to alterations in folate metabolism at high doses. Therefore, this study highlights that Camellia sinensis presents potential toxicological effects under specific conditions, which emphasizes the importance of proper guidance and the continuation of studies on the risks presented by the species.
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