EFFECT OF CAFFEINE ON INDUCED SLEEP AND SLEEP BEHAVIOUR IN ALBINO WISTAR RATS.
Olorunfemi Oluwadare Joyce*, Solomon Uvoh Micah, Kiridi Emily Gabriel, Ngaikedi Charles Nnamdi,
Inwang Uduak Anthony and Bohr Edward Lete
ABSTRACT
Aim/Background. Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world. As a component of
tea, coffee, and soft drinks, caffeine is the most commonly ingested methyl xanthine. This research work was
designed to evaluate the effect of caffeine on induced sleep and sleep behaviour in rat. Method. 16 Wister rats
were used for this research, which were divided into four groups with four rats in each group. Group 1 served as
control, group 2, 3 and 4 were given 1.0mg/kg, 1.5mg/kg and 2.0mg/kg of caffeine extract respectively after sleep
had been induced. The research work was an acute experiment which lasted for about 1hour, 30 minutes. After
induction of sleep and administration of different doses of caffeine extract, there was gradual inhibition of sleep by
the extract, which was dose-dependent. The data derived showed that the caffeine has influence on the sleep
centre, which was dose-dependent, when compared to the control. Results. The caffeine extract increased the time
for the onset of sleep (i.e. makes the time longer), and reciprocally reduced the time for the onset of wake. Which
implies that caffeine to a great extent can inhibit or block the pathway of sleep. It shows the inhibiting property of
caffeine which is dose dependent. 1g/ml, 1.5g/ml and 2g/ml of caffeine administered to the rats showed 575%,
400% and 325% in onset of sleep respectively, and 42%, 18% and 21% in onset of wake respectively. Therefore
as the doses of the caffeine increased, the time for the onset of sleep decreased when compared to the control
group. It also revealed that as days of administration of caffeine elapsed, there was a general reduction in the
weights of the rats although in a short-term analysis. Conclusion. The caffeine extract conclusively, had a
significant inhibitory effect on sleep and also reduced the weights of the rats.
Keywords: Sleep, Caffeine, onset of wake, onset of sleep, rats, sleep behaviour.
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