ABSTRACT
This study reports the antiteratogenic effects of caffeine on various anomalies on Charles Foster rat foetuses. The antiteratogenic activity of caffeine was assessed against two teratogens, cyclophosphamide and tolbutamide, both having different teratogenic potentials. External, visceral, and skeletal anomalies were assessed among the foetuses of both control and treated groups. Controls showed 2.5%, 0.0% and 5% external, visceral, and skeletal anomalies respectively. The offspring of caffeine-treated females showed 2.43% and 4.36% of external and visceral anomalies, while there were no skeletal anomalies. Foetuses of females treated with caffeine-tolbutamide combination showed 4.34% and 9.09% external and skeletal anomalies, which were comparatively higher than the control and caffeine-treated subgroups. However, no visceral anomalies were seen in this group. The offspring from dams treated with tolbutamide showed the highest incidence of external, visceral, and skeletal anomalies (10%, 4.6% and 13.04%) respectively. This preliminary study reveals that caffeine at dose levels of 12.5 mg/kg body weight has a protective effect on tolbutamide-treated foetuses. No foetuses could be obtained for the study of anomalies from the cyclophosphamide-treated dams because of total resorption.