Caffeine

Caffeine, most commonly found in the form of coffee bean or tea leaf infusions, has been used by humans since the Paleolithic period. Caffeine is a part of many pharmacological repertoires around the globe because it is easily harnessed from specific plant products and has known effects on the central nervous system. The industries producing two of the most common sources of caffeine, coffee and tea, are both parts of sustainable development programs in many areas of the developing world.

A tea plantation in Tzaneen, South Africa. The tea industry is making an effort to address the harmful effects of tea production, which include soil erosion, water pollution, and deforestation resulting from the harvesting of firewood to dry tea leaves.

Chinese legend attributes the discovery of tea by accidentally boiling some tea leaves to Emperor Shennong in 3000 B.C.E. An Ethiopian goatherd is said to have discovered the effects of coffee beans in the ninth century when his goats reportedly seemed to be stimulated after chewing on coffee beans. The kola nut, another common source of caffeine, has been chewed by West African people for increased energy and appetite suppression. Cocoa, also a good source of caffeine, has been commonly used since 600 B.C.E. by the Mayan culture in the Americas, where it was the main ingredient in the traditional beverage Xocoatle. Indigenous groups in the Americas used yaupon holly leaves and stems to make a type of infused beverage that also would have had the characteristic effects of the caffeine found in yaupon holly. By the 17th century, “Arabian wine,” a type of coffee, was common in the Ottoman Empire. German chemist Friedrich Ferdinand Runge discovered the chemical compound of caffeine in 1819. [Page 72]Some religious sects regulate the consumption of caffeine, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Seventh Day Adventists, Church of God (Restoration), and Christian Scientists. Hindus may also abstain from caffeine consumption because it can have effects on consciousness, and most Muslims view caffeine as an acceptable substance when used in moderation.

Caffeine is a psychoactive, stimulant drug that is a bitter, white, crystalline alkaloid that acts on the central nervous system and is a diuretic to which the body can develop a tolerance. Caffeine is part of other alkaloid complexes that have similar properties and attributes, including guaranine (from guarana), mateine (from mate), and theine (found in nonherbal teas). It was previously thought that theine was distinct from caffeine, but scientists now concur that theine is identical to the caffeine found in coffee plants. Caffeine is found in many plants and their fruit, including kola nut (used to make cola soda beverages), coffee berries, tea leaves, yerba maté, guarana berries (common in many energy drinks), yaupon holly, and chocolate (from the cocoa bean). Caffeine is extracted to produce a decaffeinated product; the caffeine that is removed can be used to produce caffeine tablets (used to decrease tiredness and to treat apnea in newborn babies) or can be added to hair and skin care products (since some caffeine may be absorbed through the skin). Caffeine is a natural pesticide that is found in the leaves, beans, fruits, and stems of some plants. It also acts as a natural herbicide because it is found in the soil around some plants, thereby decreasing the need for chemical herbicides.

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