title: Coffee prevents CCl(4)-induced liver cirrhosis in the rat.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous clinical observations suggested that coffee may have beneficial effects on the liver. In fact, an inverse relationship between coffee consumption and liver cirrhosis has been reported in humans. However, the causative role of coffee has not been established; therefore, the aim of this work was to study the effect of coffee in an experimental model of liver damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this work, cirrhosis was induced by chronic CCl(4) administration and soluble or grain coffee (SC, GC, respectively) were co-administered for 8 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CCl(4) administration elevated serum alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotranspherase, liver lipid peroxidation, collagen content (fourfold) and TGF-β mRNA, and protein levels; depleted liver glycogen and reduced glutathione (GSH) content. Coffee prevented most of the changes produced by CCl(4). Histopathological analysis was in agreement with biochemical and molecular data. The best effect was produced by GC. It is worth noting that GC preserved the normal collagen content as well as the normal TGF-β mRNA and protein levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest (1) that coffee plays a causative role in preventing cirrhosis (at least experimental cirrhosis); (2) that action mechanisms are probably associated with down regulation of the profibrogenic cytokine TGF-β and to its antioxidant properties and, (3) that GC is more potent than SC. These findings suggest a beneficial effect of coffee on the liver. However, more clinical and basic studies must be performed before reaching a final recommendation.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacología, Cinvestav-IPN, Apdo. Postal 14-740, 07000, México, DF, México.
authors.forename: Mario G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chávez
authors.forename: Liseth R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Aldaba-Muruato
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Segovia
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vergara
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tsutsumi
authors.forename: Mineko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shibayama
authors.forename: Yadira
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rivera-Espinoza
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muriel