Toxicity of caffeine

Caffeine fatality: a case report

A case of fatal caffeine toxicity due to suicidal ingestion of a "look-alike" illicit drug is reported. Caffeine concentrations were determined by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with the brain having the highest level reported in the literature to date. Also, the blood concentration of caffeine was one of the highest among the cases reported. A literature review of caffeine fatalities is presented.

Effects of kola-nut extract administration on the liver, kidney, brain, testis and some serum constituents of the rat

Kola-nut extract induced a number of overt neurotoxicological signs in male albino rats. A decrease in the total body weight and an increase in the absolute weights of the liver, kidney, brain and testis were observed after 18 weeks oral administration of kola-nut extract to the rats. Total protein, RNA and DNA of these organs were significantly depressed. The activity of beta-glucuronidase and beta-galactosidase was induced only in the kidney, brain and testis of treated animals. While the levels of serum phosphomonoesterases and total cholesterol were significantly enhanced due to kola-nut intake, serum total and conjugated bilirubin levels were significantly decreased.