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Nasi M, De Gaetano A, Carnevale G, Bertoni L, Selleri V, Zanini G, Pisciotta A, Caramaschi S, Reggiani Bonetti L, Farinetti A, Cossarizza A, Pinti M, Manenti A, Mattioli AV. Effects of Energy Drink Acute Assumption in Gastrointestinal Tract of Rats. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14091928. [PMID: 35565895 PMCID: PMC9105126 DOI: 10.3390/nu14091928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Energy drinks (EDs) are non-alcoholic beverages containing high amounts of caffeine and other psychoactive substances. EDs also contain herbal extract whose concentration is usually unknown. EDs can have several adverse effects on different organs and systems, but their effects on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract have been poorly investigated. To determine the acute effects of EDs on the GI tract, we administered EDs, coffee, soda cola, or water to Sprague–Dawley rats (n = 7 per group, randomly assigned) for up to five days, and analyzed the histopathological changes in the GI tract. Data were compared among groups by Kruskal–Wallis or Mann–Whitney tests. We found that, while EDs did not cause any evident acute lesion to the GI tract, they triggered eosinophilic infiltration in the intestinal mucosa; treatment with caffeine alone at the same doses found in EDs leads to the same effects, suggesting that it is caffeine and not other substances present in the EDs that causes this infiltration. The interruption of caffeine administration leads to the complete resolution of eosinophilic infiltration. As no systemic changes in pro-inflammatory or immunomodulating molecules were observed, our data suggest that caffeine present in ED can cause a local, transient inflammatory status that recruits eosinophils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Nasi
- Department of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy; (M.N.); (G.C.); (L.B.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (A.V.M.)
| | - Anna De Gaetano
- National Institute for Cardiovascular Research (INRC), 40126 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.G.); (V.S.)
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy;
| | - Gianluca Carnevale
- Department of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy; (M.N.); (G.C.); (L.B.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (A.V.M.)
| | - Laura Bertoni
- Department of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy; (M.N.); (G.C.); (L.B.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (A.V.M.)
| | - Valentina Selleri
- National Institute for Cardiovascular Research (INRC), 40126 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.G.); (V.S.)
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy;
| | - Giada Zanini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy;
| | - Alessandra Pisciotta
- Department of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy; (M.N.); (G.C.); (L.B.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (A.V.M.)
| | - Stefania Caramaschi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy; (S.C.); (L.R.B.); (A.F.); (A.C.)
| | - Luca Reggiani Bonetti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy; (S.C.); (L.R.B.); (A.F.); (A.C.)
| | - Alberto Farinetti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy; (S.C.); (L.R.B.); (A.F.); (A.C.)
| | - Andrea Cossarizza
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy; (S.C.); (L.R.B.); (A.F.); (A.C.)
| | - Marcello Pinti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy;
- Correspondence:
| | - Antonio Manenti
- Department of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy; (M.N.); (G.C.); (L.B.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (A.V.M.)
| | - Anna Vittoria Mattioli
- Department of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy; (M.N.); (G.C.); (L.B.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (A.V.M.)
- National Institute for Cardiovascular Research (INRC), 40126 Bologna, Italy; (A.D.G.); (V.S.)
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