Tag: caffeine

Known chemically as 1, 3, 7 – trimethylxanthine, caffeine is an alkaloid (occurring substances in plants) belonging to the methylxanthine family, which also includes theophylline and theobromine. All have very similar effects in stimulating the central nervous system, though caffeine is the most potent. Caffeine occurs naturally in the leaves, seeds or fruit of more than sixty plant species the best known of which are coffee, tea, cola and guarana. In nature, caffeine protects plants from parasites. Since the discovery of its chemical structure in 1895, caffeine – a white, odourless, crystalline powder with a bitter taste – has become ... Read more