Histomorphological And Morphometric Changes in The Liver of Rats Exposed to Energy Drinks and Ethyl Alcohol in Experiment
Keywords:
Energy drinks, ethyl alcohol, liver, ratsAbstract
The liver is one of the main target organs affected by both ethyl alcohol and stimulant beverages containing high amounts of caffeine, sugar, taurine, and other biologically active components. Despite the growing prevalence of concurrent consumption of energy drinks and alcohol, the structural basis of their combined hepatotoxic effect remains insufficiently studied. The aim ofthis study was to investigate histomorphological and morphometric changes in the liver of rats exposed to energy drinks and ethyl alcohol under experimental conditions. The study was carried out on outbred rats divided into control and experimental groups. Liver tissue was examined using conventional histological methods, followed by morphometric assessment of the main structural parameters. The analysis showed that isolated exposure to energy drinks caused early degenerative changes in hepatocytes and moderate vascular disturbances, whereas ethyl alcohol induced more pronounced parenchymal injury. The most severe alterations were detected in the combined exposure group, where hepatocellular degeneration, sinusoidal dilation, vascular congestion, and disorganization of the hepatic architecture were more clearly expressed. Morphometric data supported the histological findings and demonstrated a progressive increase in the severity of structural damage from isolated to combined exposure. The findings indicate that the combined intake of energy drinks and ethyl alcohol exerts a more harmful effect on liver parenchyma than either agent alone and leads to deeper morphofunctional impairment of hepatic tissue.
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