Caffeine - Chemistry Of Caffeine, History, Sources, Pharmacological Effects, Teratogenic And Mutagenic Effects
Caffeine is an alkaloid found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and other natural foods. It is also a component of cola soft drinks. Caffeine has been a part of the human diet for many centuries and is one of the most widely used central nervous system stimulants worldwide. In recent years, research has raised questions about possible deleterious health effects of caffeine, but no definitive conclusions have been reached about the harmfulness of moderate amounts.
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In its pure form, caffeine is a fleecy white solid or long silky crystals. It is odorless, but has a distinctive bitter taste. When heated, caffeine loses water at 176°F (80°C), sublimes at 352.4°F (178°C), and/or melts at 458.2°F (236.8°C). It is only slightly soluble in water and alcohol, but dissolves readily in chloroform. Water solutions of caffeine a…
Of all the commercial sources of caffeine, guarana paste has the highest concentration of the pure compound, about 4%. Guarana paste is made from the seed of the Paullinia tree, found primarily in Brazil. More common sources of caffeine contain lower concentrations of the compound: 1.1-2.2% in coffee beans; 3.5% in tea leaves; and 1.5% in kola nuts. Other less common sources of caffeine include ma…
Concerns about the possible health effects of consuming caffeine have been expressed for well over a hundred years. Recent concern about its physiological effects tend to focus on mutagenic and teratogenic effects. Mutagenic effects are those that change the reproductive genes, producing mutations in subsequent generations. Scientific reports have also appeared connecting the consumption of large …
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User Comments
11 months ago
K.van der Wal
I'm a chemical analist, now pensionated. Worked for Shell Petroleum Company for many years.My medic prescribed me Ibuprofeno + caffeine. So I was wondering about its composition and whereabouts. So I founds this article,in internet, and I enjoyed reading it.