COMBINED EFFECTS OF CAFFEINE AND ALCOHOL DURING PREGNANCY ON BONES INNEWBORN RATS

The combined effects of caffeine and alcohol on mineral contents of fe tal mandibles and femurs were studied. Pregnant rats were divided into four groups: group 1, control; group 2, caffeine; group 3, alcohol; a nd group 4, caffeine-plus-alcohol. Alcohol (1.0 g ethanol/kg body weig ht) was intubated twice daily, beginning at day 9 of gestation. Caffei ne (2 mg/100 g body weight) was given as a dietary supplement. Groups 1 and 2 were intubated with isocaloric sucrose solution. At birth, ran domly selected pups were killed and the mandible and femur were remove d and dried. Ca, P, Mg, Zn and hydroxyproline in these bones were meas ured. Notwithstanding the darns' intake of caffeine and alcohol admini stered separately, the present results suggest that the combination of caffeine and alcohol exhibited the most detrimental effects.