Caffeic acid alleviates the increased lipid levels of serum and tissues in alcohol-induced [hepatotoxicity in] rats.

Ethanol is one of the most widely used and abused drugs that increases lipid levels in human and experimental animals. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of caffeic acid (CA) on alcohol-induced alterations of lipid levels in serum, liver and kindey of Wistar rats. The alcohol toxicity was induced by oral administration of ethanol (7.9 g/kg/bw) for 45 days through intragastric intubation. The elevation in the levels of lipids upon alcohol administration was accompanied by a significant increase in the levels of cholesterol, phospholipids (PL), free fatty acids (FFA) and triglycerides (TG) in serum, liver and kidney. Oral administration of CA (12 mg/kg/bw) to alcohol fed rats significantly decreased the serum and tissue lipid levels to near those of the control rats. In conclusion, our study suggests that oral administration of CA to alcohol fed rats markedly reduced the accumulation of cholesterol, TG, FFA and PL in circulation, liver and kidney.