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Impact of Red Bull consumption on gastric acid and mucus secretion in Albino rats: Study of the biochemical and histopathological effects

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Abstract

Nowadays energy drinks (EDs) are widely used among teenagers. One of the most popular EDs in Egypt is Red BullR (RB). The aim of this study was to evaluate the chronic effects of RB on gastric acidity, oxidative stress, and inflammation in pylorus-ligated rats. Thirty-two adult male albino rats were divided into 4 groups; Control animals were given distilled water instead of a beverage. RB was given in doses of 5, 7.5, and 10 ml/kg, p.o., twice daily for 28 days in pylorus-ligated rats. The effects of different doses of RB were investigated on body weight, gastric acidity, and volume and pH of gastric secretions. Biochemical indices of oxidative status including malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and nitric oxide (NO) were also measured. In addition, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were evaluated. Pretreatment with RB significantly increased body weight, gastric juice volume, acidity, and decreased pH in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, oral administration of RB resulted in a significant increase in levels of MDA, NO, IL-6, and TNF-α along with decreasing GSH in stomach homogenate. The stomach of rats treated with RB showed sporadic focal records of apoptotic bodies in lining mucosal cells. Moreover; higher records of mucosal/submucosal inflammatory cell infiltrate were observed with more severe submucosal edema. Chronic consumption of RB increased gastric acidity, oxidative stress, and inflammation along with decreasing mucus secretion in rat stomach.

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Data Availability

The data that support the study findings are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author (R.E.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Narcotics, Ergogenics and Poisons Department, Medical Research and Clinical Studies Institute, National Research Center, El-Buhouth St, Dokki, 12622, Cairo, Egypt

    Rania Elgohary, Shaimaa A. ElShebiney & Noha A. Mowaad

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  1. Rania Elgohary
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  2. Shaimaa A. ElShebiney
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  3. Noha A. Mowaad
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Correspondence to Rania Elgohary.

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authors declare no competing interests.

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The animal experiments were conducted according to the recommendations in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the “National Institutes of Health” (NIH No. 85:23 revised 1985) in accordance with the guidelines provided by the CPCSEA and World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki on Ethical Principles for studies involving experimental animals.

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Elgohary, R., ElShebiney, S.A. & Mowaad, N.A. Impact of Red Bull consumption on gastric acid and mucus secretion in Albino rats: Study of the biochemical and histopathological effects. Comp Clin Pathol 32, 671–680 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-023-03475-0

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