Analyzing the antioxidant effects of caffeine on rat heart

Caffeine, known as methylxanthines (1,3,7 trimethylxanthine), is widely consumed by people as a component of many beverages and food (such as coffee, tea, chocolate), increasing effects on pyscomotor activity, heart rates (positive inotropic) and mild diuretic effects are caffeine?s prominent specialities. Nowadays, because of its above effects, in medical treatment it takes role as drug. After oral administration caffeine is quickly and almost completely (99 %) absorbed by the gastrointestinal system and the hydrophobic proporties of caffeine allow its passage through all biological membranes into cells.The main aim of our study was to compare potential antioxidant effects in rat heart at 2 different doses of short time period oral caffeine intake. We measured MDA levels, which is a product of lipid peroxidation in rats hearts that caffeine is given. In addition, to evaluate antioxidant properties of caffeine we investigated enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems. We measured SOD, catalase, GPx and GST activities and GSH levels in heart.In our study we used 30 female Wister rats with a mean weight of 250 grams. Rats are equally divided into 3 groups. Group 1 was control. Group 2 received 30mg/kg of caffeine and group 3 received 100mg/kg caffeine (non-toxic high dose) for 14 days (short time period) orally. Our results show that 14-day low dose (30mg/kg) and non-toxic dose (100mg/kg) caffeine usage decreased lipid peroxidation in heart. Antioxidant enzyme activities in rat heart like catalase and GPx showed statistically significant increase with caffeine intake. Heart GST level comparison to control group and between groups showed not statistically significant. Heart tiusse glutathione level comparison to control group showed a slight decrease but this was not statistically significant. Heart tiusse SOD level comparison to control group showed a slight increase but this was not statistically significant.Results from the Spearman analysis showed a strong negative correlation and while tissue MDA levels decreased; GPx and katalaz activities increased. Tissue GPx activity and tissue catalase activity showed a strong positive correlation. Additionally tissue GST activity and tissue catalase activity showed apositive correlation. Decreased lipid peroxidation and increased antioxidant enzyme activities which improve oxidative stress show that these doses of caffeine may be an antioxidant under the influence of these studies. In our opinion, determining mechanism and antioxidant effect of caffeine at suitable dose requires advanced animal and human studies.Keywords: Caffeine, MDA, Antioxidant