Suman Swaraj*
Department of Zoology, B.N.Mandal University, Madhepura, Bihar, India
Received : 13th June, 2018 ; Revised :28th August,2018
Abstract : Caffeine is probably the most frequently ingested pharmacologically active substance in the world. It is found in common beverages (coffee, tea, soft drinks), in products containing cocoa or chocolate, and in medications. Because of its wide consumption at different levels by most segments of the population, the public and the scientific community have expressed interest in the potential for caffeine to produce adverse effects on human health. The present paper reports the results of an investigation of the effect of caffeine, given as coffee or tea, on the generation of malondialdehyde (MDA) lipid peroxidation, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) & aspirate aminotransferase (AST) in the liver of Wistar Albino rats. The rats were divided into three groups – a control group of 3 rats which received normal feed and plain water, and two other groups of 3 rats each which received 1 gm of either coffee or tea dissolved in 2 ml of water in addition to their normal feeds. Treatment lasted for 14 days after which the animals were sacrificed and the liver was harvested. It was found that both coffee and tea increased the mean concentrations of MDA, AST ALT in liver of the rats and leads to damage. Thus it is concluded that caffeine, given as either tea or coffee (excess) has a pro-oxidant effect on the rat liver leading to liver toxicity.
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