Background: Prevalence and incidence of arterial occlusive thrombosis are influenced by life-style. Coffee consumption was shown with a lower incidence of myocardial infarction by Framingham Study. Yet, the mechanism is to be elucidated.
Methods: We examined the effects of coffee intake on the progression of occlusive thrombus formation in mouse cremasteric arteries. After 7 days of free intake of pure water, coffee containing water (5 mg/ml), or caffeine containing water (0.1 mg/ml), endothelial cell function was locally damaged by FeCl3. Circulating platelet and leukocytes were rendered fluorescently by rhodamine 6G. Process of occlusive thrombus growth was continuously visualized by 3-D imaging system equipped with ultra-fast confocal microscopy, and time to vascular occlusion was measured in each mouse.
Results: Platelet accumulation started immediately after FeCl3 exposure in all tested groups. However, arterial occlusion time in taking coffee containing water was significantly longer than those taking pure water. (46.0 ± 17.4 min (n = 5) vs. 12.3 ± 2.6 min (n = 31), p < 0.05) Arterial occlusion time in mice taking caffeine (13.8 ± 5.9 min (n = 4)) was not different from those taking pure water.
Conclusion: Coffee, but not caffeine intake, may have preventive effect on arterial occlusive thrombus formation initiated by functional injury of arterial endothelium.