SUMMARY:Green tea, a product from Camellia sinensis, consists of over 200 componentes. The most known are the catechins, ou polyphenolic compounds, or flavonoids, but it contains also polysacharide conjugates, amino acids, caffeine and vitamins. Studies have suggested that the regular consumption of green tea reduces the risk of cancer, protecting agains initial events and progression of the disease, may act as antioxidant, has bactericidal properties, and that green tea consumption may be an adjuvant in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. Our experimental study was carried out with male Wistar rats, separated in two groups, experimental and control. The animals in control group were given water ad libitum, and the animals in the experimental group received green tea instead of water. After 2 weeks of experimental period, all the animals, suffered surgical wounds on the dorsum. The animals were sacrificed on 1, 3 and 7 days after surgery. Skin samples were used for light microscopy evaluation. Our results allowed us to observe that the experimental group (green tea drinking) presented accelerated epithelial neformation on day 3 after surgery, when epithelial neoformation is in the initial phases. The surgical areas presented 48.20% X 27.32% epithelial neoformation for green tea group and their controls respectivelly at this time. The results of the present study, along with other information about green tea in the literature, strongly suggests that regular use of green tea may be beneficial in surgery situations, when fast epithelial neoformation is desirable.

Eduardo Fausto de Almeida Neves (in memorian), o homem mais humilde e honesto que eu conheci em minha vida. Que me ensinou o verdadeiro valor das coisas, que me ensinou o quão pouco valem os bens materiais, que me ensinou o quanto o sentimento é poderoso. Era meu porto seguro. Tenho certeza de que torce por mim no lugar onde está. À minha mãe, Maria Inês Romualdo Neves Maria Inês Romualdo Neves Maria Inês Romualdo Neves Maria Inês Romualdo Neves, mulher guerreira, que não mediu esforços para construir uma família com laços fortes. Conduziu-me nos primeiros passos, ensinou-me a diferença entre o certo e o errado, velou meu sono. Muito do que vejo em mim, encontro nela. Amo você.