title: Influence of caffeine administered at 45 °C on bone tissue development.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Caffeine is one of the world's most commonly ingested alkaloids which easily permeates the placenta. The teratogenic and embryotoxic influence of large doses of caffeine has been established in many experimental studies on animals. The objective of this work was to assess the influence of caffeine, administered at 45 °C, on the development of the bone tissue of rats, with particular reference to elemental bone composition using an X-ray microprobe.
  
  
  METHODS
  The research was conducted on white rats of the Wistar strain. The fertilized females were divided into two groups: an Experimental Group (Group E) and a Control Group (Group C). The females in Group E were given caffeine orally (at 45 °C) in 30 mg/day doses from the 8th to the 21st day of pregnancy. The females in Group C were given water at the same temperature. The fetuses were used to assess the growth and mineralization of the skeleton. A qualitative analysis of the morphology and mineralization of bones was conducted using the alcian-alizarin method. For calcium and potassium analysis, an X-ray microprobe was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By staining the skeleton using the alcian-alizarin method, changes in 52 of Group E fetuses were observed. The frequency of the development variants in the Group E rats was statistically higher, compared with Group C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Receiving caffeine at a higher temperature may result in different pharmacodynamics and significantly change tolerance to it. In Group E, a significant decrease in the calcium level, as well as an increase in the potassium level, was observed. The X-ray microprobe can be a perfect complement to the methods which enable determination of the mineralization of osseous tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy, Medical University of Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomaszewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Medical University of Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Grażyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Olchowik
authors.affiliation: I Department of Radiology, Medical University of Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomaszewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy, Medical University of Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dworzański
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, State School of Higher Education, Biała Podlaska, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pańczuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy, Medical University of Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Franciszek
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Burdan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001846:Bone Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry; D002110:Caffeine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D006358:Hot Temperature; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D002110:Caffeine; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium