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Coffee prevents CCl4-induced liver cirrhosis in the rat

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Abstract

Purpose

Previous clinical observations suggested that coffee may have beneficial effects on the liver. In fact, an inverse relationship between coffee consumption and liver cirrhosis has been reported in humans. However, the causative role of coffee has not been established; therefore, the aim of this work was to study the effect of coffee in an experimental model of liver damage.

Methods

In this work, cirrhosis was induced by chronic CCl4 administration and soluble or grain coffee (SC, GC, respectively) were co-administered for 8 weeks.

Results

CCl4 administration elevated serum alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotranspherase, liver lipid peroxidation, collagen content (fourfold) and TGF-β mRNA, and protein levels; depleted liver glycogen and reduced glutathione (GSH) content. Coffee prevented most of the changes produced by CCl4. Histopathological analysis was in agreement with biochemical and molecular data. The best effect was produced by GC. It is worth noting that GC preserved the normal collagen content as well as the normal TGF-β mRNA and protein levels.

Conclusions

Our results suggest (1) that coffee plays a causative role in preventing cirrhosis (at least experimental cirrhosis); (2) that action mechanisms are probably associated with down regulation of the profibrogenic cytokine TGF-β and to its antioxidant properties and, (3) that GC is more potent than SC. These findings suggest a beneficial effect of coffee on the liver. However, more clinical and basic studies must be performed before reaching a final recommendation.

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Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude to Mr. Benjamín Salinas Hernández, Mr. Ramón Hernández, Q.F.B. Silvia Galindo, and M.V.Z. Ricardo Gaxiola for their excellent technical assistance. Enrique Chávez was a fellow of Conacyt. This work was supported in part by Conacyt grant 54756 (JS).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Farmacología, Cinvestav-IPN, Apdo. Postal 14-740, 07000, México, DF, México

    Mario G. Moreno, Enrique Chávez, Liseth R. Aldaba-Muruato & Pablo Muriel

  2. Departamento de Fisiología Biofísica y Neurociencias, Cinvestav-IPN, Apdo. Postal 14-740, 07000, México, DF, México

    José Segovia & Paula Vergara

  3. Departamento de Infectómica y Patogénesis Molecular, Cinvestav-IPN, Apdo. Postal 14-740, 07000, México, DF, México

    Víctor Tsutsumi & Mineko Shibayama

  4. Departamento de Graduados e Investigación en Alimentos, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Carpio y Plan de Ayala, 11340, México, CP, México

    Yadira Rivera-Espinoza

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  1. Mario G. Moreno
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  2. Enrique Chávez
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  4. José Segovia
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  9. Pablo Muriel
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Correspondence to Pablo Muriel.

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Moreno, M.G., Chávez, E., Aldaba-Muruato, L.R. et al. Coffee prevents CCl4-induced liver cirrhosis in the rat. Hepatol Int 5, 857–863 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12072-010-9247-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12072-010-9247-6

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