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
The only change noticed in all of the experiments of this series was
progressive loss of weight which set in from 3 to 8 days after the
administration of the drug was begun. The duration of life varied
considerably. No. 382 died after the first dose. No. 389 lived 2
days, No. 386, 3 days, and No. 385, 5 days; No. 390 lived 7 days and
No. 404 lived 20 days after the administration of caffein was begun.
The duration of life in all the others was from 11 to 16 days. The
findings at autopsy are interesting and suggestive as regards the
possible explanation of the effects of repeated dosage of caffein.
In eight of the rabbits there was involvement of the mucous membrane
of the stomach or intestines or of both. Since the same condition of
the gastro-intestinal canal was observed in previous experiments with
caffein when injected subcutaneously, the mere passing of the tube
into the stomach is obviously not the cause of this condition. The
fatal outcome due is therefore, as was suggested above, to inanition
brought about by the condition of the gastro-intestinal canal. Moreover
parallel experiments carried out on rabbits in the same way with
alcohol survived this treatment much longer. Obviously then the passing
of the soft rubber catheter is not the cause of this condition of the
gastro-intestinal canal nor the diet. Rabbits were fed oats exclusively
for several months in this laboratory and thrived. The presence of
pneumonia in the other rabbits of this series may be regarded as
accidental, as it is inconceivable that one or two doses of caffein,
as was the case in Nos. 382 and 389, could predispose the lungs to
infection. The results of these experiments therefore are in harmony
with those of the preceding two series, indicating that caffein does
not accumulate in the body, and that the toxicity of caffein, whether
of the single dose or of repeated doses is the same, on a diet of
carrots or of oats. These results also show that caffein is much more
toxic with repeated dosage. As stated in the historical part of this
bulletin the same view was held by Gourewitch.(28)
_Rabbit 386._ _Belgian female._
Given 1 cc of 1 per cent caffein for each 100 grams, through stomach
tube.
--------+--------+----------
Date. | Weight.|Treatment.
--------+--------+----------
|_Grams._| _cc._
Aug. 17| 1,300 | 13.0
Aug. 18| 1,215 | 12.0
Aug. 19| (?) | (?)
--------+--------+----------
August 20: Found dead 9 a. m. _Autopsy_: Lungs slightly congested;
liver engorged and friable; gall cyst well filled.
_Rabbit 389._ _Black male._
Given 1 cc of 1 per cent caffein for each 100 grams, through stomach
tube.
--------+--------+----------
Date. | Weight.|Treatment.
--------+--------+----------
|_Grams._| _cc._
Aug. 17| 1,070 | 10.0
Aug. 18| 1,025 | 10.0
--------+--------+----------
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