Effect of feeding coffee and its lipids on regenerating and intact liver.

Liver regeneration was stimulated in partially hepatectomized rats fed diets supplemental with up to 7.0% by weight of ground green and roasted Brazilian or Hawaiian (Kona) coffee in a basal powdered ration but was little influenced by decaffeinated or African Robusta coffee diets over a period of 10 days. The causative agent occurred in the total lipids from the active ground coffee batches and could be concentrated in the unsaponifiable portion as was also noted with the product from Robusta coffee. The lipids were inactive by the sc route. Pressed Brazilian green coffee oil elicited a lower regenerative response and other caffeine sources such as ground kola nuts and Paraquay tea at levels of 7.0% as demonstrated earlier for black tea, were nonstimulatory. Caffeine tended to depress liver regeneration, a level of 0.40% being quite inhibitory. As based on the composition of the unsaponifiable material, the activity might reside in the diterpene alcohol fraction containing cafestol and kahweol and some fractionation of the mixture was attempted currently. The agents which were active in the operated series generally elicited wet and dry liver enlargement in intact rats over the same period.