ADULT WISTAR RAT

Caffeine is a commonly ingested psychoactive substance classified under the methylxanthine group and acts primarily as a central nervous system stimulant. It occurs naturally in beverages and foods such as coffee, tea, cocoa-based products, and numerous energy formulations. Although moderate consumption promotes wakefulness and diminishes tiredness, excessive exposure has been implicated in adverse gastrointestinal outcomes, particularly affecting gastric integrity. This investigation evaluated the impact of graded caffeine administration on the gastric structure and functional indices of adult Wistar rats. A total of twenty adult Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four experimental groups. The control group (Group A) received distilled water, whereas Groups B, C, and D were administered caffeine at doses of 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, and 200 mg/kg body weight respectively for a duration of 21 days. Following the treatment period, the animals were humanely sacrificed, and gastric tissues were harvested for histopathological assessment using Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining techniques. Morphometric parameters including body weight, gastric weight, and gastrosomatic index were recorded and subjected to statistical analysis. Findings demonstrated a statistically significant (p < 0.05) increase in body weight in all groups relative to baseline values, though weight gain was comparatively reduced in the higher-dose cohorts. Elevated stomach weights and gastrosomatic index values were observed in Groups C and D, suggesting inflammatory changes. Microscopic evaluation revealed preserved gastric histoarchitecture in the control and low-dose groups, whereas the highest dose group (200 mg/kg) exhibited superficial mucosal erosion, vascular congestion within the gastric wall, and submucosal vasodilatation, indicating dose-related gastric injury. Overall, the study establishes that caffeine induces dose-dependent morphological alterations in the gastric tissue of adult Wistar rats. Excessive intake was associated with inflammatory and erosive changes, underscoring the potential gastric risks of high caffeine consumption and supporting moderation in dietary intake.