Caffeine

By: Andrew MitchellCaffeine

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Caffeine is Everywhere Many people around the world depend on caffeine to survive the torturous workweek. It is in numerous items that humans consume every day- such as coffee, soft drinks, energy shots, chewing gum, and even ice cream.It is such an additive molecule that it is even considered a drug.

Everyday DrugAccording to the Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol & Addictive Behavior, In the early twenty-first century, caffeine continues to be the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world (Caffeine).

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History of CaffeineCaffeine-bearing plants have been used for their pharmacological effects since before documented history, but it was not until the early 1800s that humans truly grasped the true nature of the molecule (Weinberg and Bealer, p. xvii).

Caffeine was discovered during the height of curiosity in plant chemistry in Europe.

History of CaffeineThe discovery was made by a young German physician Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge in 1819, due to an encounter with the baron of the German empire, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who presented Runge with mocha beans.Runge went on to test the properties of these beans, and discovered what we now refer to today as caffeine (Weinberg and Bealer, p. xvii).

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History of CaffeineBefore the discovery of the molecule, coffee was known to be used as a stimulant long before the world knew of caffeine.There is evidence that the coffee plant and the coffee beans action as a stimulant were known in Arabia by the time of the great Islamic physician and astronomer Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariya El Razi whose work may offer the first written mention of them (Weinberg and Bealer, p. 5). Coffeehouses started springing up around the world as long ago as before 1500, with the first one being in Mecca (Weinberg and Bealer, p. 18). Today you cannot go a city block without seeing a Starbucks or Dunkin Doughnuts!

History of CaffeineAfter most of the Middle-East had become accustom to the use of coffee as a stimulating drink, Europeans stumbled upon this seemingly magic substance.In 1502, on his fourth voyage across the Atlantic, Columbus overshot Jamaica and anchored at Guanaja While stopping among the Maya villagers, he became the first European on record to have encountered the cacao beans (Weinberg and Bealer, p. 53).

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History of Caffeine in TeaTea also became a popular drink like coffee in Europe.Tea was brought west from countries such as China and Mongolia, by explorers who had sought ventures in these countries.Tea had many of the same uplifting qualities that had become popular in Europe after being introduced to the cacao beans.

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Early Uses of CaffeineAccording to Weinberg and Bealer, coffee, tea, and chocolate were frequently addressed together as medicinal products in early European texts (Weinberg and Bealer, p. 95).The psychoactive properties of caffeine were detected long before the drug was even known.During this era caffeinated drinks were though to help circulation of the blood, promote sobriety, increase alertness, cure gout and scurvy, relieve headaches and kidney stones, improved digestion, purify blood, stimulate wit, and prolong life (Weinberg and Bealer, p. 95-96).

Caffeine in the United StatesDuring the twentieth century, caffeine usage exploded in the United States. With the introduction of caffeinated soft drinks, the use of caffeine was no long confined to the just a morning cup of coffee or tea.

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History of Soft DrinksCaffeinated products such as Coca-Cola were first used as medicine in the form of prescription tonic syrup in the late 1800s.Right before the turn of the century, however, Coca-Cola had become a popular drink to the general public.

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Soft Drinks TodayToday there are hundreds of caffeinated soft drinks available to the public. In 1996, Beverage Marketing Corporation found that the six most popular soft drinks in the United States, Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, Diet Coke, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, and Diet Pepsi, all contain caffeine (Weinberg and Bealer, p. 191-192).Products such as high caffeine soft drinks, such as Jolt Cola, and caffeine pills, used as alertness aids, were created to fuel the caffeine dependent country (Weinberg and Bealer, p. 192-195).

Chemical Properties of CaffeineAccording to Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., Caffeine (C8H10N4O2) is the common name for trimethylxanthine (systematic name is 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine or 3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione) (Helmenstine).Caffeine is made up of eight carbon atoms, ten hydrogen atoms, four nitrogen atoms, and two oxygen atoms.

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Chemical Properties of Caffeine

Chemical Effects on HumansCaffeine is believed to work by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain and other organs. This reduces the ability of adenosine to bind to the receptors, which would slow down cellular activity. The stimulated nerve cells release the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline), which increases heart rate, blood pressure, and blood flow to muscles, decreases blood flow to the skin and organs, and causes the liver to release glucose (Helmenstine).

Chemical Effects on HumansCaffeine is used up quickly by the brain, which creates short lived properties in humans. Tolerance causes the body to become sensitized to adenosine, so withdrawal causes blood pressure to drop, which can result in a headache and other symptoms (Helmenstine).Even further abuse can cause something called caffeine intoxication, where symptoms include nervousness, excitement, increased urination, insomnia, flushed face, cold extremities, intestinal complaints, and, in rare circumstances, hallucinations (Helmenstine).

Extraction of CaffeineThe way that sodas and energy drinks get their caffeine content is from the extraction of caffeine from plants.One of the most widely used methods is using Carbon dioxide as a solvent to extract caffeine out of plants (Shirazian and Ashrafizadeh).Another popular way to extract caffeine is just by simply boiling the caffeinated plant, and perform water to water extraction(Weinberg and Bealer, p. 232).

Conclusion about CaffeineThere is absolutely no doubt about the importance of caffeine in many Americans everyday life. For many people the molecule gives us an extra boost to help us get through a long grueling work day. There are also some side-effects to caffeine if taken in large amounts, but in moderation the drug can be a useful pick-me-up. Caffeine has also played a huge part in our worlds history. The molecule has played an important role in both social and economic concepts throughout our history.

Works Cited"Caffeine." Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol & Addictive Behavior. Ed. Pamela Korsmeyer and Henry R. Kranzler. 3rd ed. Vol. 1. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2009. 257-264. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 17 May 2012.Drug Types. Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol & Addictive Behavior. Ed. Pamela Korsmeyer and Henry R. Kranzler. Vol. 2. 3rd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2009. p88-96. Word Count: 6090.Guch, Ian. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chemistry. 3rd. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha, 2011. Print.Helmenstine, Anna Marie. "Caffeine Chemistry." About.com/Chemistry. The New York Times Company, n.d. Web. 25 May 2012. chemistry.about.com/od/moleculescompounds/a/caffeine.htmShirazian, S., and S. N. Ashrafizadeh. "Mass Transfer Simulation Of Caffeine Extraction By Subcritical CO2 In A Hollow-Fiber Membrane Contactor." Solvent Extraction & Ion Exchange 28.2 (2010): 267-286. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 May 2012.Weinberg, Bennett Alan, and Bonnie K. Bealer. The World of Caffeine. New York, NY: Routledge, 2001. Print.