Caffeine

Dagmar SmětalováTamara Franková

Caffeine

The "Discovery" of Coffee

Legend has it that coffee was "discovered" around850 AD in upper Egypt by a goat herded namedKhaldi. One night, Khaldi's goats did not returnhome. When he found his goats, Khaldi saw themdancing around a shrub with red berries (coffeebeans). After Khaldi tried some of the berries, hestarted to dance too. Khaldi spoke with some monkswho used the berries to make a drink and....coffeewas born!

Other names

- trimethylxanthine- coffeine- theine- mateine- guaranine- Methyltheobromine- 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine

Occurrence

Coffee Tee Guarana berries

Occurrence

Kola nut Yerba mate Cacao beans

Chemical properties

Alkaloid of the methylxanthine family Pure is bitter, odorless white powderChemical formula - C8H10N4O2

systematic name: 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine or 3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-

dione

Metabolism

the first metabolic products: theophylline (4%) – relaxes muscles of the bronchii

theobromine (12%) - the principal alkaloid in cocoa

paraxanthine (84%) - increases lipolysis →elevated glycerol and free fatty acid levels in the blood plasma

has been used as a treatment of asthma

treatment = léčba

principal = hlavní

elevated = zvýšení

fatty acid = mastná kyselina

Metabolism

Adenosine - naturally occurring xanthine, neurotransmitter

- slows down the nerve cell activity

Caffeine - similar molecule to adenosine → binds to the

same receptors → blocks it →increased nerve activity → release of the hormone adrenaline

Effects: higher heart rate

increased blood pressure increased blood flow to muscles decreased blood flow to the skin and inner organs release of glucose by the liver

bind = vázat se

increased = zvýšený

release = uvolnění

heart rate = srdeční tep

liver = játra

Symptoms

Other caffeine effects:• increase alertness• reduce fine motor coordination• cause insomnia • cause headaches, nervousness and dizziness • cause mild diuretic effect• increase the excretion of calcium from the body

increase alertness = zvyšuje bdělostinsomnila = nespavostheadaches = bolesti hlavynervousness = nervozitadizziness = závratědiuretic = močopudný

Symptoms

Masive doses → intoxication

A) 250 mg per day:• nervousness• excitement• insomnia• flushed face• diuresis• gastrointestinal complaints• hallucinations

B) More than 1000 mg per day • muscle twitching• cardiac arrhythmia

= nervozita

= podráždění

= nespavost

= zrudlý obličej

= diuréza (vylučování moči)

= škubání svalů

doses = dávky

Symptoms

Lethal dose - 3 200 mg intravenously

- LD50 = 150 - 200 mg/kg of body mass 170

mg/kg body weight -> the same as drinking 140 to 180 cups of coffee in rapid succession -> not an easy thing to do!

lethal = smrtelný

in rapid succession = rychle za sebou

Half life = generaly around 5 hours

Physical dependence

Some studies show that caffeine causes physical dependence

Withdrawal symptoms: • headache• fatigue• muscle pain

- can occur within 24 hours after the last dose of caffeine

Two studies:1. minimum consumption of caffeine for physical

dependence is 4 cups of coffee per day 2. a few more cups of coffee are needed to develop

dependence.

= abstinenční příznaky

= únava

consumption = spotřeba

dependence = objevit se

= závislost

The effect of caffeine on spider web construction

web of a spider on LSD web of a drug-native spider

web of a spider on caffeine

web of a spider on hashish

Products

Sources

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/caff.html http://en.wikipedia.orghttp://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/webprojects2001/tillingwhycaffeine.htm