title: Hepatoprotective Effect of Low Doses of Caffeine on CCl4-Induced Liver Damage in Rats.
abstract: Several studies have shown the hepatoprotective effect of the consumption of coffee and tea, which is mainly attributed to caffeine. Many experimental studies have demonstrated this effect; however, these studies used high caffeine doses that are not related to human consumption. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of low doses of caffeine on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-treated rats. Low doses of caffeine (CAFF) 5 and 10 mg/kg (CAFF5 and CAFF10) were evaluated in chronic liver damage induced by CCl4(0.75 mL/kg) in rats. CAFF treatment was administered once a day and CCl4administration was twice weekly for 10 weeks. Liver function tests (biochemical markers) and functional (sleeping time) and histological (hematoxylin-eosin and Masson trichrome stains) parameters were carried out at the end of damage treatment. Daily treatments of CAFF5 and CAFF10 exhibited a hepatoprotective effect supported by a decrease of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (AP) serum activities and bilirubin serum levels compared with control and also restored serum albumin levels and liver glutathione (GSH). Moreover, CAFF prevented CCl4-induced prolongation in pentobarbital sleeping time and a decrease of liver fibrosis and cell death. Our results demonstrated that low doses of CAFF exert a hepatoprotective effect against CCl4-induced liver damage in rats.
authors.affiliation: a Unidad de Investigación Médica Yucatán, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Centro Médico Ignacio García Téllez, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social , Mérida , Yucatán , México.
authors.forename: Andrés Uc
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Cachón
authors.affiliation: a Unidad de Investigación Médica Yucatán, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Centro Médico Ignacio García Téllez, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social , Mérida , Yucatán , México.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Quintal-Novelo
authors.affiliation: b Departamento de Patología, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Centro Médico Ignacio García Téllez, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social , Mérida , Yucatán , México.
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Medina-Escobedo
authors.affiliation: b Departamento de Patología, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Centro Médico Ignacio García Téllez, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social , Mérida , Yucatán , México.
authors.forename: Gaspar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castro-Aguilar
authors.affiliation: a Unidad de Investigación Médica Yucatán, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Centro Médico Ignacio García Téllez, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social , Mérida , Yucatán , México.
authors.forename: Rosa E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Moo-Puc
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D002110:Caffeine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D056487:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D020011:Protective Agents; D002110:Caffeine; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D005978:Glutathione; D001663:Bilirubin
keywords: caffeine; carbon tetrachloride; coffee; hepatoprotector activity; liver injury