The Toxicity of Caffein: An experimental study on different species of animalsSalant, William
Science
The Toxicity of Caffein: An experimental study on different species of animals
Salant, William
Caffeine -- Physiological effect
Experiments were also conducted to determine the largest dose which
does not produce any visible effects. In a number of tests with from
100 to 120 mg caffein per kilo (series E, see Table 6, p. 51) no
manifestation of nervous or muscular disturbance nor any departure
from the normal in respiratory activity was observed. Such quantities
may be regarded as the largest doses which are surely safe for these
animals. It is quite possible, therefore, that the greater variation in
the toxicity of caffein observed in these experiments is due to morbid
conditions. Moreover, there is some evidence that caffein increases
the toxicity of certain poisons, as shown by Hale(33) for acetanilid.
Is it not possible that caffein may similarly be affected by poisons
circulating within the body? Indeed the recent work of Loeb(23) makes
this supposition highly probable. This investigator found that caffein
and adrenalin injected together produce myocarditis in the rabbit. It
is conceivable that the combined action of caffein and some preexisting
poison may cause changes which terminate in the death of the animal.
The delayed death of guinea pigs after the administration of caffein
observed in this and other series may probably be accounted for in this
way.
Experiment 57 lends some support to this view. The condition of the
kidneys and the presence of a severe gastro-enteritis are sufficient to
account for the death of this case. Again the frequent association of
gastro-enteritis and congestion of the organs in caffein intoxication
found in different animals makes it highly probable that these lesions
were caused by caffein.
INJECTION INTO THE PERITONEAL CAVITY.
The experiments were carried out with different doses. All the guinea
pigs in this series were kept on a uniform diet, consisting of oats.
Most of them were of average size and there were no wide variations
in their weights. The experiments of series A with the smallest doses
were conducted in March and April; all the other experiments it will be
noticed were made in October.
SERIES A.
_Guinea pig 41. Weight, 700 grams. Diet, oats._
April 1: 3.30 p. m., 4.5 cc 2 per cent caffein (130 mg per kilo)
injected into peritoneal cavity. 5.35 p. m., symptoms present but no
tetanus.
April 2: Found dead about 2 p. m., duration of life about 22 hours.
_Autopsy_: Subcutaneous hemorrhage at the point of inoculation; serious
exudate on visceral and parietal peritoneum with marked inflammation of
peritoneum; portions of intestines showed slight enteritis.
_Guinea pig 49. Male. Weight, 370 grams. Diet, oats._
April 1: 3.15 p. m., 2.5 cc 2 per cent caffein (135 mg per kilo)
injected into the peritoneal cavity; 5.30 p. m., symptoms present;
reflexes increased, but no tetanus. Guinea pig survived.
_Guinea pig 47. Female. Weight, 550 grams. Diet, oats since about
February 4._
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