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(1) Isolated parenchymal rat liver cells were incubated in Krebs-Henseleit buffer containing 0.5% gelatine. (2) Xanthines (caffeine, theophylline, theobromine, paraxanthine) and some derivatives (IBMX, aminophylline, proxiphylline) all inhibited the incorporation of [14C]valine into proteins in the medium and albumin secretion. (3) The incorporation into liver cell proteins was only significantly inhibited by IBMX, caffeine and theophylline. (4) Xanthine and metabolites of xanthines had no or only slight effect on the variables mentioned above. (5) The inhibitory effect of xanthines and their derivatives on protein metabolism could not be explained by an increased level of cyclic AMP, a decreased secretion of proteins from the liver cells, an inhibition of amino acid transport, an increased degradation of proteins or an effect at the transcription level. (6) The results are compatible with an effect on protein synthesis on the translation level.

The reversed-phase mode of high-performance liquid chromatography was used to determine the intra- and inter-individual levels of UV-absorbing low-molecular-weight compounds in saliva. Many of the compounds known to occur in serum were also found in saliva; however, concentrations in saliva are lower. Both the intra- and inter-individual levels of these compounds vary significantly; in most cases, the inter-individual variance is 2–3 times the intra-individual variance. Caffeine and its metabolites in saliva are also reported. A greater number of metabolites were found in the saliva of habitual coffee drinkers. After caffeine was administered orally, paraxanthine, theobromine, theophylline, 1-methylxanthine, and 1-methyluric acid were found in the saliva of an individual who did not drink coffee regularly. In this subject, the serum half-life for caffeine was 3.49 h and the saliva half-life was 3.27 h. The half-life of caffeine in an habitual coffee drinker who had refrained from caffeine products for four days was 4.39 h.

High performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry were used to isolate and identify theophylline, theobromine and 1,7-dimethylxanthine (paraxanthine) in plasma of human volunteers following administration of 300 mg caffeine to methylxanthine-free volunteers. Plasma from these subjects was extracted and the dimethylxanthines were separated from each other and caffeine by high performance liquid chromatography. The effluents at the chromatographic peaks corresponding to the dimethylxanthine metabolites were collected, rechromatographed in a second system and the dried residues were subjected to mass spectrometry. By comparison of their retention times and mass spectra with those of authentic compounds, theophylline, theobromine and paraxanthine were positively identified as metabolic products of caffeine.

An HPLC method is described for rapid analysis of caffeine and seven of its metabolites in plasma, urine, milk and saliva in a single operation using a 5 μ C18 reverse phase column. The metabolites are extracted with chloroform - iso-propanol (85:15) from 100 μL samples added to NH4HCO3. No interference from normal blood, urine, milk or saliva constituents was observed. The method is accurate and precise and separates 1,7-dimethylxanthine (paraxanthine) from 1,3-dimethylxanthine (theophylline). Sensitivity for most metabolites is in the range of 0.1 to 0.3 μg/mL and the detectability is at the nanogram level.

The incorporation of radioactivity from L -[ 14 CH 3 ]-methionine into caffeine by coffee fruits was enhanced by additions of theobromine and paraxanthine but was reduced by additions of theophylline and caffeine. Cell-free extracts prepared from seedlings, partially ripe and unripe coffee fruits showed that only the unripe green fruits contained significant methyltransferase and 7-methyl- N 9 -nucleoside hydrolase activity. The cell-free extracts catalysed the transfer of methyl groups from S -adenosyl- L -[ 14 CH 3 ]-methionine to 7-methylxanthine, and 7-methylxanthosine, producing theobromine and to theobromine producing caffeine. The two enzymic methylations exhibited a sharp pH max at 8.5 and a similar pattern of effects with metal chelators, thiol reagents and Mg 2+ ions, which were slightly stimulating though not essential to enzyme activity. Paraxanthine (1,7-dimethylxanthine) was sh own to be the most active among methylxanthines as methyl acceptors; however its formation from 1-methylxanthine and 7-methylxanthine was not detectable, and biosynthesis from paraxanthine in the intact plant would therefore appear not to occur. The apparent K m values are as follows: 7-methylxanthine 0.2 mM, theobromine 0.2 mM, paraxanthine 0.07 mM and S -adenosyl- L -methionine with each substrate 0.01 mM. The results suggest the pathway for caffeine biosynthesis in Coffea arabica is: 7-methylxanthosine → 7-methylxanthine → theobromine → caffeine.

Previously published methods allow the determination of the genetically controlled acetylator status using caffeine as a test drug, based on the urinary excretion of a ring-opened metabolite of caffeine, an acetylated uracil (5-acetylamino-6-formylamino-3-methyluracil). 5-Acetylamino-6-formylamino-3-methyluracil is labile but can be converted into a stable, deformylated product referred to as 5-acetylamino-6-amino-3-methyluracil, which has recently been shown to be quantifiable by exclusion chromatography. The first part of the present article represents a longitudinal study of three subjects to assess the intraindividual variability of those caffeine metabolite ratios that are of potential interest for the determination of acetylator phenotypes. Effects of single and multiple doses, as well as of different periods of urine collection, were tested. A ratio relating the excretion of 5-acetylamino-6-amino-3-methyluracil to that of all products of the 7-demethylation pathway of paraxanthine proved to be highly reproducible, particularly after collection of overnight urine after coffee consumption during the day. This ratio showed complete concordance with the plasma index for sulfamethazine acetylation. The second part of this article showed the use of this ratio in a population study. It allowed a good separation of slow and fast acetylators and probably also a separation of homozygous and heterozygous fast acetylators. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1987) 42, 509–513; doi:10.1038/clpt.1987.189

Summary A comparison has been made, in Chinese hamster cells, of the ability of various methylated oxypurines to inhibit post-replication repair of DNA after UV irradiation and to potentiate UV-induced chromosome aberrations. DNA synthesized in UV-irradiated cells contains gaps, which are subsequently sealed by a process termed post-replication repair. In rodent cells this process is inhibited by caffeine and its analogues. This has been quantitated by measuring the molecular weight of the DNA synthesized in UV-irradiated cells during a 4-h pulse-labelling period in the presence or absence of inhibitors—the lower molecular weight the greater the inhibition. Eight methylated oxypurines were tested; caffeine and chlorocaffeine were always the most potent inhibitors, tetramethyluric acid was inactive, and the other five derivatives (methoxycaffeine, ethoxycaffeine, paraxanthine, theobromine and theophylline) had intermediate effects. Measurements of the potentiation of UV-induced chromosome aberrations showed that treatments with caffeine or chlorocaffeine again had the greatest effects, tetramethyluric acid and also theophylline had no potentiating activity, and methoxycaffeine was intermediate. This correlation between effects at the molecular and cytological levels is consistent with the hypothesis that the inhibition of post-replication repair by methylated oxypurines gives rise to the increased production of chromosome aberrations.

Rats were trained to discriminate methylxanthines from saline under a two-lever concurrent variable ratio schedule of reinforcement. One group was trained to discriminate between saline and 32 mg/kg caffeine. A second group was trained to discriminate between 56 mg/kg theophylline and saline. Rats reliably discriminated between saline and the training methylxanthine, displaying graded generalization curves across training-drug doses. Caffeine-trained rats demonstrated caffeine-appropriate responding when tested with theophylline, paraxanthine, and 3-methylxanthine. Theobromine failed to generalize to the caffeine cue at test doses up to 75 g/kg. In contrast to the caffeine group, rats trained to discriminate theophylline from saline were less sensitive (higher ED50) to the effects of caffeine and paraxanthine test doses. Only partial generalization to the theophylline cue occured at paraxanthine doses up to 100 mg/kg. Based upon these data, it is suggested that the underlying substrate(s) for the caffeine cue is in some respects different from the substrate(s) for the theophylline cue.

The pharmacokinetics of caffeine, including formation of its major metabolite paraxanthine in plasma, has been investigated in 12 healthy males (age 20-40 years) alone and during co-administration of the 4-quinolones ofloxacin, norfloxacin, pipemidic acid, ciprofloxacin, and enoxacin; ciprofloxacin and enoxacin were given in 3 different dose levels. The naphthyridine derivative enoxacin and the pyrido-pyrimidine derivative pipemidic acid had caused marked inhibition of caffeine and paraxanthine metabolism, whereas the genuine quinolone derivatives norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin had little effect, and the pyrido-benzoxacine derivative ofloxacin had no detectable effect. The different molecular and spatial structures of the compounds appear to be responsible for the differences in inhibitory potency.

1. A large body of research on the demography of caffeine use and its potential health consequences has been undermined by the absence of empirical data on the reliability of retrospective self-reports of caffeine consumption. 2. The principal aim of the present study was to use standard bioanalytic method to assess the reliability of subjects' self-reported caffeine use. Saliva samples were obtained from 142 first-and second-year medical students and assayed for caffeine and paraxanthine. 3. Self-reported caffeine use was found to be significantly correlated with salivary caffeine (r = 0.31, P less than 0.001) and paraxanthine (r = 0.42, P less than 0.001), thereby providing qualified support for use of questionnaires to estimate patterns of caffeine consumption. 4. A secondary aim of the study was to extend previous research concerning the symptomatology of caffeine use by examining the association between caffeine exposure and a variety of measures of somatic and psychological health. Caffeine consumption was reliably associated with the self-reported occurrence of somatic symptoms, but not psychological well-being.

The methodology for the unequivocal identification of caffeine and 13 possible metabolites (mono, di- and tri-N-methylated xanthine and uric acid derivatives) based on TLC, UV and mass spectrometry has been developed. Upon ip administration of caffeine-3H to the rat, 64–67% of the radioactivity was recovered in the urine over a period of 24 hr. The chloroform-methanol (9:1) extract of the urine accounted for about 37% of the administered radioactivity. Water soluble metabolites constitute approximately 30% of the injected caffeine-3H. With the aid of preparative TLC, 8.8% of unchanged caffeine and the following metabolites were isolated from chloroform-methanol extract of urine: theophylline (1.2%), theobromine (5.1%), paraxanthine (8.8%) and trace amounts of 1,3,7-trimethyluric acid and 3-methyluric acid. Two unidentified metabolites (metabolite A, 11.4% and metabolite B, 1.3%) have also been isolated.

The preparation of the paraxanthine, theobromine and theophylline isomers 1,5-; 2,5- and 1,7-; 2,7- and 5,7-dimethyl-4,6-dioxo-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-pyrazolo[3,4-d]-pyrimidines is described and their structure established. A structurally specific synthesis of the caffeine and isocaffeine isomers 1,5,7- and 2,5,7-trimethyl-4,6- dioxo-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-pyrazolo [3,4-d]pyrimidines has been realized.

We present a detailed computational analysis of the UV/Vis spectra of caffeine, paraxanthine and theophylline in aqueous solution. A hierarchy of solvation approaches for modeling the aqueous environment have been tested, ranging from the continuum model to the non-polarizable and polarizable quantum mechanical (QM)/molecular mechanics (MM) models, with and without the explicit inclusion of water molecules in the QM portion. The computed results are directly compared with the experimental data, thus highlighting the role of electrostatic, polarization and hydrogen boding solute-solvent interactions.

THE EFFECTIVENESS of most of the antithyroid drugs that have been used in the control of thyrotoxicosis has depended upon their ability to interfere with the production of the thyroid hormone. However, the recent observations of Carter and his collaborators (1) suggested that possibly a drug had been found which would antagonize the effects of preformed thyroxin. These investigators found a substance, identified as paraxanthine (1:7 dimethylxanthine), in liver of the ox and the whale and in human urine, which in certain concentrations completely antagonized the action of thyroxin in converting a winter frog heart into a summer frog heart; it also abolished the calorigenic effects of thyroxin in rats. The maximal effects of paraxanthine were obtained when in each liter of solute 0.22 μg. of this substance was used for 1 mg. of thyroxin. The greater the deviation in the ratio of these two substances the less antagonistic was the effect.

MANY substances have been found to have anti-thyroid activity in the vertebrate body, some of them natural constituents of the body. But it has never been clear to what extent these substances exert their antithyroid properties in normal life. In this letter we report some results which have led us to the conclusion that the basal metabolic rate is normally controlled in the rat not by the concentration of the thyroid secretion in the internal medium alone but by interaction between this secretion and an anti-thyroid substance which we have identified as paraxanthine (1:7-dimethylxanthine). The results also give some indication of the nature of this interaction.

Cultured hepatocytes from newborn human (three samples), adult human (eight samples) and adult rat livers were used to study the metabolism of theophylline and caffeine, two drugs of which the metabolic pathways are known to be cytochrome P-450-dependent. Known metabolic pathways of caffeine in vivo were qualitatively maintained. However, only the primary metabolites were formed through oxidative N -demethylation giving theophylline, paraxanthine and theobromine and, through C-8 hydroxylation, giving 1,3,7-trimethyluric acid and a ring-opened compound the 6-amino-5[ N -formylmethylamino]1,3-dimethyl uracil. The ratio of the three dimethylxanthine metabolites was dependent upon the species (human, rat), development stage (newborn, adult) and environmental factors. Similarly, theophylline was metabolized as in vivo by the demethylation pathway giving, preferentially, 3-methylxanthine and not 1-methylxanthine, and by a C-8 oxidation giving 1,3-dimethyluric acid. In newborn hepatocytes, all pathways were absent except the well-known methylation to caffeine. Moreover, such a methylation also occurred in adult human hepatocytes. This result was explained by the very low metabolic capacity of cultured cells, allowing the detection of only direct metabolites. Indeed, the overall biotransformation of both the methylxanthines by primary cultures of hepatocytes was remarkably weak, confirming previous studies with liver microsomal incubations. Thus the metabolism rate did not exceed about 30 nmoles/10 6 cells/24 hr in human adults, except for two subjects which were characterized by an extensive metabolism and a different metabolic profile. These two subjects were probably induced in vivo by environmental compounds. Both quantitative and qualitative data obtained from this study were roughly correlated with other in vivo and in vitro studies. Overall the experimental model of cultured human hepatocytes was shown to be capable of assessing the metabolic profile of two methylxanthines which is in agreement with the situation encountered in vivo . This example suggests that a breakthrough may be brought in new drugs development by the predictability from human hepatocyte culture model to the in vivo human situation.

Caffeine and eleven of its potential metabolites have been assayed, by high performance liquid chromatography, in the blood and urine of developing beagle puppies. The clearance of caffeine from blood increased from 31.4 ± 6.0 ml · kg−1 · hr−1 at 2 days to 279.1 ± 45.4 ml · kg−1 · hr−1 at of age. This change reflected an increased first-order elimination rate constant since the apparent volume of distribution did not change significantly. Coincident with this increase in clearance, the fraction of a dose of caffeine excreted unchanged in urine decreased 18-fold. The remainder of the dose was metabolized to a series of di- and mono-methylxanthines and urates. In 2-day-old puppies, the caffeine metabolites potentially derived from the paraxanthine, theophylline or theobromine pathway accounted for 42, 33 and 14 per cent, respectively, of the identified products in urine. Between 2 and 22 days of age, the metabolite pattern of caffeine changed substantially, with those metabolites potentially derived from the theophylline pathway (theophylline 1-methylurate, 1–3-dimethylurate and 3-methylxanthine) increasing from 33 to 82 per cent. We suggest, therefore, that the change in caffeine clearance seen during development of the beagle puppy is determined primarily by the rate of maturation of caffeine-7-N-demethylase.

The caffeine content of all tea or coffee beverages consumed by 17 healthy adults over 24 hours was measured. Plasma caffeine, theophylline, theobromine, and paraxanthine concentrations were determined over the same 24 hours. The average caffeine content per drink was 60.4 ± 21.8 mg for instant coffee (14-fold range), 80.1 ± 19.2 mg for brewed coffee (2.8-fold range), and 28.8 ± 13.7 mg for tea (5.5-fold range). The number of drinks of coffee and tea consumed was a poor index of actual caffeine intake (r2= 0.42). Caffeine intake correlated poorly with the 24-hour average caffeine concentration (r2= 0.41), but there was a very good correlation between a single plasma caffeine concentration measured at 5 PM and the 24-hour average concentration (r2= 0.94). The same was true for paraxanthine (r2= 0.86). Paraxanthine accounted for 67.3% of the total dimethylxanthines in plasma, while theobromine and theophylline accounted for 24.4% and 8.3%, respectively. Mean caffeine clearance was 1.2 ± 0.3 ml/min/ kg. Plasma caffeine concentration before the first drink in the morning correlated very poorly with caffeine clearance (r2= 0.07), even when adjusted for caffeine intake (r2= 0.21). Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1986) 39, 54–59; doi:10.1038/clpt.1986.10

A new metabolic pathway of theophylline has been investigated in premature human newborns using the ion cluster technique of stable isotope labelling combined with gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Labelled caffeine, paraxanthine and theobromine have been found in plasma and urine of two preterm newborns receiving [1,3-15N], [2-13C] theophylline for the treatment of primitive apneas. Theophylline is converted to caffeine by N-7 methylation. In adults, the inverse process exists wherein caffeine is demethylated to give theophylline.

Summary The xanthines paraxanthine, xanthine, and uric acid are absorbed completely by the turtle Pseudemys scripta elegans and metabolised presumably into CO2 and NH3. No intermediate metabolites are excreted. Caffeine, hydroxycaffeine, theobromine, hydroxytheobromine, and hydroxyparaxanthine are absorbed and excreted in different amounts or percentages of the dose administered. Intermediate metabolites of these compounds are not excreted. The turtle Pseudemys scripta elegans may, therefore, be ammonotelic.

This review provides a brief overview of known information on the human toxicity of theobromine and paraxanthine. Theobromine has some pharmacological effects, although these activities are considerably weaker than those of theophylline and/or caffeine, described in parts 1 and 2 of this series (Stavric, Fd Chem. Toxic. 1988, 26, 541 & 645). Paraxanthine, which is not found in plants or foods, is the major metabolite of caffeine in humans, in whom its toxicological potency appears to be very low. This paper gives a brief retrospective view of possible toxicological effects when methylxanthines are taken simultaneously or are present in combination as a result of metabolic transformation. Critical review of toxic manifestations due to exposure to relatively large doses of caffeine and theophylline indicates that such combined exposure may potentiate the toxic effects of either drug.

The accuracy and precision of assay techniques used to measure theophylline concentrations in human serum were compared using data from 96 samples from the Heathcontrol external quality assurance scheme. Abbott TDX had the highest precision, with a mean coefficient of variation (CV) of measurements of 6.4%, and Ames Fluorostat was most accurate, with a mean bias of +0.1%. Differences between the better techniques, however, were not significant. The Beckman ICS assay gave the lowest precision (CV 9.3%) and, in addition, produced the highest proportion (7.5%) of rejected observations greater than 3 standard deviations from the sample mean. The least accurate method was radioimmunoassay, with a -9.9% bias. Measurements from two samples spiked with paraxanthine demonstrated that 76% of laboratories using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) were unable to distinguish between paraxanthine and theophylline. The +4% bias observed at low concentrations and the high variability (CV 8.3%) of measurements made by HPLC were thus attributed to interference by paraxanthine present in the sample matrix. Discriminant analysis of a range of HPLC column and mobile phase parameters indicated that separation of theophylline and paraxanthine was achieved by the use of lower flow rates with mobile phases of solvent mixtures with lower proton donator selectivity.

The pharmacokinetics of caffeine (CA), paraxanthine (PX), theobromine (TB) and theophylline (TP) were studied in six healthy male volunteers after oral administration of each compound on separate occasions. The total plasma clearances of CA and PX were similar in value (2.07 and 2.20 ml min-1 kg-1, respectively) as were those for TP and TB (0.93 and 1.20 ml min-1 kg-1, respectively). The unbound plasma clearances of CA and PX were also similar in magnitude (3.11 and 4.14 ml min-1 kg-1, respectively) as were those of TP and TB (1.61 and 1.39 ml min-1 kg-1, respectively). The half-lives of TP and TB (6.2 and 7.2 h, respectively) were significantly longer than those of CA and PX (4.1 and 3.1 h, respectively). The volume of distribution at steady state of TP (0.44 l kg-1) was lower than that of the other methylxanthines (0.63-0.72 l kg-1). The unbound volume of distribution of TP (0.77 l kg-1) was however the same as that of TB (0.79 l kg-1) whereas the unbound volume of distribution of PX (1.18 l kg-1) was similar to that of CA (1.06 l kg-1).

The effect of caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine), theophylline (1,3-dimethyl-xanthine), theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine), paraxanthine (1,7-dimethylxanthine) 1-methylxanthine, 3-methylxanthine, and 7-methylxanthine added at the 48th h on the chromosomes of human lymphocytes in 72-h cultures has been investigated. Caffeine and the dimethylxanthines cause breakage at 750 μg/ml, with caffeine the most, and paraxanthine the least clastogenic. 1-methylxanthine and dimethylxanthines with a methyl group in the 1-position are the most effctive in depressing mitotic indices. No chromosome damage was exhibited by the monomethylxanthines.

Several authors have recently reported interference in theophylline analysis by paraxanthine (1,7-dimethylxanthine), an important metabolite of caffeine. A method for the determination of theophylline in plasma is described, eliminating caffeine and related compounds by means of straight-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The resulting procedure is sufficiently rapid, accurate and sensitive to be applied in routine monitoring of therapeutic levels in patients as well as for pharmacokinetic purposes. Although only 0.1 ml of sample is required, concentrations as low as 0.2 mg/l can be measured with acceptable precision. A brief comparative evaluation of this procedure with a radioimmunoassay is made.

A sensitive and highly specific method for the determination of theophylline in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been developed. Theophylline was completely separated from paraxanthine, a major metabolite of caffeine which has been known to interfere with most isocratic reversed-phase HPLC methods, with a mixture of acetonitrile/tetrahydrofuran/acetate buffer (10 mM, pH 5.0; 5:1:94, v/v %) as the mobile phase using a C18 bonded reversed-phase column. Neither the other xanthine and uric acid derivatives nor numerous drugs tested were found to interfere. The proposed method was applied to therapeutic monitoring utilizing its excellent precision, reproducibility and high specificity for theophylline.

The kinetics of formation of primary metabolites of caffeine (paraxanthine, theophylline, theobromine and 1,3,7-trimethyluric acid) was studied in control (CO) and 3-methylcholanthrene-induced (MC) rat liver microsomes. V max was similar but K m was 16 times lower for total caffeine metabolism in CO and MC microsomes, respectively. Similar behaviour was observed in the formation of each metabolite. Single metabolites showed different degrees of induction at non-saturating concentrations of caffeine. Kinetics was non-linear in CO microsomes.

Theobromine, theophylline, paraxanthine and 1,3,7-trimethyluric acid were identified as caffeine metabolites after incubation of [2-14C]caffeine with rat liver microsomes and separation by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). A 9-fold induction of caffeine metabolism was observed in 3-methylcholanthrene (MC)-induced microsomes and this induction ranged from 4 to 11 times for individual metabolites. Induction of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) was about 5-fold, comparable to that of theophylline formation. Primary caffeine metabolism is an enzymic process catalyzed by the microsomal mixed-function oxidases.

A simple HPLC method for the determination of caffeine and theophylline in plasma is described. Separation of theobromine, paraxanthine, theophylline, β-hydroxyethyltheophylline and caffeine is obtained using a mobile phase of 1% acetic acid/methanol (83:17, v/v) and a Waters Associates NOVA-PAK C18column protected by a Guard-PAK precolumn module containing a Guard-PAK CN cartridge. Rapid sample preparation is achieved by solid-phase extraction columns (Bond-Elut C18, 1 mL capacity) which provide excellent recovery values for both drugs. The cost per sample using this approach can be minimised by column regeneration and re-use. Results obtained for theophylline are in good agreement with values determined by other techniques.

1. The potencies of caffeine and related methylxanthines as adenosine antagonists were assessed with respect to three apparent subtypes of adenosine receptors in rat brain preparations: (i) the A1-adenosine receptor which binds with a very high affinity the ligand [3H]cyclohexyladenosine (KD, 1 nM) in rat brain membranes; (ii) a ubiquitous low-affinity A2-adenosine receptor which activates cyclic AMP accumulation in rat brain slices—this A2-adenosine system exhibits an EC50 for 2-chloroadenosine of about 20µM; and (iii) a relatively high-affinity A2-adenosine receptor which activates adenylate cyclase in rat striatal membranes—this A2-adenosine system exhibits an EC50 for 2-chloroadenosine of about 0.5µM and is present in striatal but not in cerebral cortical membranes. 2. The rank order of potency for methylxanthines versus binding of 1 nM [3H]cyclohexyladenosine in membranes from eight rat brain regions is theophylline (IC50, 20–30µM) > paraxanthine (IC50, 40–65µM) > caffeine (IC50, 90–110µM) > theobromine (IC50, 210–280µM). There thus appears to be little difference in A1-receptors in different brain regions in terms of interaction with these methylxanthines. 1-Methylxanthine is more potent than caffeine in rat cerebral cortical membranes, while 3-methylxanthine and 7-methylxanthine are less potent than caffeine. 3. The rank order of potency for methylxanthines versus activation of cyclic AMP accumulation by 50µM 2-chloroadenosine in rat striatal slices is theophylline (IC50, 60µM) > paraxanthine (IC50, 90µM) > caffeine (IC50, 120µM) » theobromine (IC50, > 1000µM). Similar potencies pertain in cerebral cortical slices. 4. The rank order of potency of methylxanthines versus activation of adenylate cyclase by 1µM 2-chloroadenosine in rat striatal membranes is theophylline (IC50, 20µM) > paraxanthine (IC50, 40µM) > caffeine (IC50, 80µM) » theobromine (IC50, > 1000µM). 5. Caffeine and other methylxanthines, thus, antagonize effectively both A1- and A2-adenosine receptors in brain perparations. Theobromine appears less effective versus A2-receptors than versus A1-receptors. Caffeine exhibits aKi value of about 50µM at the very high-affinity A1-binding sites, aKi value of about 30µM at the low-affinity A2-adenosine site in brain slices, and aKi value of about 27µM at the high-affinity A2-adenosine site in striatal membranes. The functional significance of antagonism of such adenosine receptors by caffeinein situ will depend both on the local levels of adenosine and on the affinity for adenosine for the receptor, since antagonism by xanthines is competitive in nature. In addition, the functional significance of xanthine action will depend on the degree of inhibition of adenosine input which is required to alter the output signal. For a stimulatory input to adenylate cyclase via an A2-adenosine receptor, profound antagonism by methylxanthines is probably required to alter the cyclic AMP-mediated output signal, while for inhibitory input to adenylate cyclase via an A1-adenosine receptor, presumably a lesser degree of antagonism by methylxanthines may be required to alter the cyclic AMP-mediated output signal.

The teratogenicity of caffeine, as well as two of its three dimethylated metabolites (theobromine and theophylline), has been established in animal studies. The third metabolite, paraxanthine, has not been reported as being tested for teratogenicity even though it is actually the major demethylated metabolite of caffeine metabolism in man. Pregnant C57BL/6J mice were treated i.p. with 175 or 300 mg/kg/day paraxanthine (1,7-dimethylxanthine) dissolved in deionized water at 4 p.m. on day 11 and 9 a.m. on day 12 of gestation. All dams were sacrificed on day 18, and fetuses were fixed for Wilson's razor blade sectioning or double-staining skeletal examination. A dose-related increase in total malformations, primarily cleft palate and limb malformations, was found. The pattern of malformations was similar to that reported for caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline, i.e., an asymmetric response with the left forelimb most often affected. A 21% resorption and a 46% malformation rate was observed at 300 mg/kg/day of paraxanthine, indicating that paraxanthine was slightly less toxic to the embryo than caffeine. Therefore, the parent compound, caffeine, as well as all three of its dimethylated metabolites--paraxanthine, theophylline, and theobromine--are teratogenic.

Systemic caffeine clearance and urinary metabolite profiles were determined in 15 subjects with diverse exposure histories to cytochrome P-450 inducers (cigarette smoke) and inhibitors (oral contraceptive steroids). A correlation was observed between caffeine clearance and a urinary ratio based on the molar recovery of paraxanthine 7-demethylation products relative to a paraxanthine 8-hydroxylation product (r = 0.91; P less than 0.001). Analysis of urinary metabolites was undertaken in a larger population to assess the effects of gender, age, oral contraceptives, and smoking on the ratio. No gender differences were observed in either adults or children; children (n = 21) showed a higher (P less than 0.001) mean metabolite ratio than adults (n = 61), oral contraceptive users (n = 9) had lower (P less than 0.05) ratios than women not taking oral contraceptives (n = 30), and smokers (n = 26) had higher (P less than 0.001) ratios than nonsmokers (n = 61). The data indicate that a urinary metabolite ratio based on paraxanthine 7-demethylation/8-hydroxylation products reflects systemic caffeine clearance and likely monitors cytochrome P-450 activity inducible by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Five subjects who participated in an earlier study (Lelo et al., 1986b) of the comparative pharmacokinetics of caffeine (CA) and its primary monodemethylated metabolites paraxanthine (PX), theobromine (TB) and theophylline (TP) were administered CA to steady-state. Using areas under the plasma concentration-time curves for each of the dimethylxanthines derived from CA in the steady-state study and individual plasma clearances of PX, TB and TP determined in the previous study, the fractional conversion of CA to PX, TB and TP and the individual partial clearances of CA have been defined. The mean (+/- s.d.) fractional conversion of CA to PX, TB and TP was 79.6 +/- 21.0%, 10.8 +/- 2.4% and 3.7 +/- 1.3%, respectively. When only demethylation pathways are considered PX, TB and TP accounted for 83.9 +/- 5.4%, 12.1 +/- 4.1% and 4.0 +/- 1.4%, respectively of the CA demethylations. The mean partial clearance of CA to PX was approximately 8-fold and 23-fold greater than those to TB and TP respectively. These data confirm earlier reports that PX is the major metabolite of CA in humans but suggest that PX formation is quantitatively more important than previously believed.

The influence of multiple doses of ciprofloxacin on the disposition of caffeine and its major metabolite, paraxanthine, was investigated in healthy volunteers. Ten xanthine-free, fasting males were given 100 mg of caffeine orally 24 h before being given ciprofloxacin and again with the third dose of ciprofloxacin (750 mg administered every 12 h). Blood samples were serially collected after both doses of caffeine and after the first and last doses of ciprofloxacin. Ciprofloxacin significantly increased the half-life of caffeine (from 5.2 +/- 1.2 to 8.2 +/- 2.5 h) and the area under the caffeine concentration-time curve (from 16.3 +/- 6.6 to 25.9 +/- 7.8 micrograms.h/ml) while decreasing the total body clearance (from 106 +/- 41.6 to 58.2 +/- 28.8 ml/min per 1.73 m2). In addition, the rate of conversion of caffeine to paraxanthine was significantly delayed. There was no significant linear correlation between the urinary recovery of oxociprofloxacin at 0 to 12 h and the change in the area under the caffeine concentration-time curve. There was also a small but statistically significant increase in the area under the ciprofloxacin concentration-time curve during simultaneous administration of caffeine. We concluded that ciprofloxacin causes a significant increase in the half-life of caffeine and in the area under the caffeine concentration-time curve by reducing total body clearance. This interaction is due at least in part to a delay in the conversion of caffeine to paraxanthine. The clinical significance of these observations remains to be determined. Lastly, caffeine may alter the kinetics of ciprofloxacin, a possibility which should be more fully explored.

The pharmacokinetics of caffeine and its metabolites were studied in pregnant rats in order to clarify the effects of maternal caffeine ingestion on the caffeine disposition. On gestational day 18 the single intravenous or oral 10 mg/kg dose of caffeine was administered to pregnant rats who had received drinking water containing 0.04% caffeine or water ad lib during the premating and/or pregnant periods. Concentrations of caffeine and its dimethylxanthines were simultaneously determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The caffeine plasma concentration-time curves were analyzed by assumption of a one-compartment model. The apparent volume of distribution of caffeine in rats given caffeine only during pregnancy was decreased. The elimination rate constant (kel) of caffeine in most of the rats taking caffeine during pregnancy was increased. The rats which had received caffeine throughout the premating and pregnant periods had a relatively high total body plasma clearance (CL) of caffeine. The kel and the CL widely varied in the rats taking caffeine during pregnancy. The individual values of kel or CL in pregnant rats were significantly correlated with the molar concentration ratios of the metabolites to caffeine in plasma at 8 h after administration of caffeine. It is concluded that the caffeine disposition is influenced by the different modes of maternal caffeine ingestion during the premating and/or pregnant periods.

The metabolism of caffeine was investigated in liver slices of young and adult rats. Liver slices from adult male rats metabolized caffeine at an initial rate of 48.31 ± 3.71 nmoles · (g liver)−1 · hr−1 to four main metabolite fractions. By a combination of thin-layer radiochromatography and high performance liquid chromatography, theophylline, paraxanthine and 1, 3, 7-trimethyldihydrouric acid were identified as caffeine metabolites. Apparent Vmax of the overall reaction was 83.30 nmoles caffeine metabolites formed · (g liver)−1 · hr−1. Theophylline competitively inhibited caffeine metabolism [the apparent Km was 19.20, μM in the absence of theophylline, the apparent ki was 36.50 μM in the presence of theophylline (100 μM)]. SKF 525-A inhibited caffeine metabolism; the formation of all of the metabolite fractions was inhibited to a similar extent. Allopurinol (100 μM) had no effect. The specific activity of the enzyme system was extremely low when liver slices of 2-day-old-rats were used [1.46 ± 0.08 nmoles caffeine metabolites formed · (g liver)−1 · hr−1]; the reaction velocity increased gradually with increasing age and reached a peak [52.26 ± 1.41 nmoles caffeine metabolites formed · (g liver)−1 · hr−1]at 30 days of age. Changes in the formation of the four metabolite fractions with age followed the pattern of the overall caffeine metabolism. These results demonstrate that the liver of the newborn rat has an extremely limited capacity to metabolize caffeine in vitro and are consistent with the proposed involvement of the liver microsomal cytochromes P-450 monooxygenase system in the metabolism of caffeine. N-Demethylation is the main pathway of in vitro caffeine metabolism in the rat liver at all ages.

Because only 4 % of human urinary caffeine metabolites are trimethyl derivatives, in contrast to 42 % in the rat, demethylation of caffeine into dimethylxanthines and the metabolic pathways of these dimethylxanthines were studied in man. After oral administration of caffeine to overnight fasted volunteers, plasma kinetics of caffeine and paraxanthine, theophylline, theobromine produced by demethylation were analyzed and showed a parallel increase of caffeine and paraxanthine while theophylline and theobromine plasma concentration exhibited a small increase. Quantitative metabolic study of dimethylxanthines demonstrated that paraxanthine is the most important pathway in man and its high plasma concentration cannot be explained by a lower level of metabolism or urinary excretion compared with theobromine and theophylline. Uracil derivatives of caffeine, paraxanthine and theobromine were identified and quantified with 14 other metabolites. In addition 5-acetylamino-6-amino-3-methyluracil was also quantified after paraxanthine administration. 1-Methylxanthine was shown to be the precursor of this acetylated uracil. Quantitatively the paraxanthine pathway corresponds to 72% of the first demethylation of caffeine and half of the urinary metabolites are 1-methylxanthine and 1-methylxanthine derivatives.

Publisher Summary Purine alkaloids are widely distributed within the plant kingdom. However, their occurrence is limited to dicotyledonous species, preferentially in tropical and subtropical climates. Caffeine and theobromine, methylated derivatives of xanthine, are generally the main purine alkaloids and are regularly accompanied in low concentrations by the two methylxanthines theophylline, paraxanthine, as well as by methylated uric acids such as theacrine. Purine alkaloids are, botanically and geographically, a widespread component of human diet. Optimum environmental conditions and medium composition allow good growth and alkaloid production rates in both callus and suspension cultures. Purine alkaloid system is a suitable model for investigating in vitro production of secondary compounds. The key advantages are: (a) the presence of only two alkaloids that may easily be analyzed quantitatively by high performance liquid chromatography; (b) selection of cell lines with relatively stable productivity on the basis of cell aggregation characteristics; and (c) a large body of background information concerning physiological and ecological properties of purine alkaloids that is essential in developing new strategies for synthesis of natural products by means of tissue culture biotechnology. Purine alkaloid formation accelerates during the cultivation time, which means that most of the final amount of purine alkaloids is synthesized after the exponential period of growth.

An increased lung cancer risk has been described among foundry workers. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and silica are possible aetiological factors. This study describes a urinary PAH metabolite, 1-hydroxypyrene (hpU), as well as the degree of cytochrome P450IA2 activity/induction as reflected by the urinary caffeine ratio (IA2) in 45 foundry workers and 52 controls; IA2 was defined as the ratio of paraxanthine 7-demethylation products to a paraxanthine 8-hydroxylation product (1,7-dimethyluric acid). Mean exposure concentrations for foundry workers were defined by breathing zone hygienic samples (respirable dust 1.2 to 3.52 mg/m3 (93 samples)) and as total PAH (0.46 micrograms/m3) and pyrene concentrations (0.28 micrograms/m3) (six samples). Non-smoking controls and foundry workers had similar IA2 ratios (5.63, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 4.56-6.70 and 4.40, 95% CI 3.56-5.24). The same was true for smoking controls and foundry workers (9.10, 95% CI 8.00-10.20 and 8.69, 95% CI 7.37-10.01). Both smoking groups had raised IA2 ratios compared with non-smokers (p less than 0.01). Non-smoking controls and foundry workers had similar hpU concentrations (0.16, 95% CI 0.10-0.22 and 0.11, 95% CI 0.09-0.13 mumol/mol creatinine). Smoking foundry workers had raised hpU concentrations (0.42, 95% CI 0.25-0.59) compared with smoking controls (0.26, 95% CI 0.18-0.34) (p less than 0.01). A small subgroup of smoking foundry workers with the highest exposures to both silica and PAH also had the highest hpU concentrations (0.70, 95% CI - 0.07-1.47 mumol/mol creatinine) (p less than 0.04). Increased hpU concentrations in smoking foundry workers suggest a more than additive effect from smoking and foundry exposures resulting in increased PAH uptake. Increased P450IA2 enzyme activity was only found in smokers and no additional effect of foundry exposures was seen. These data suggest that smoking as well as work related PAH exposure may be casually related to increased risk of lung cancer in foundry workers.

A general, convenient method for the preparation of 1,7- and 1,9-disubstituted xanthine derivatives (paraxanthine and isoparaxanthine analogs) was developed starting from 6-amino-2- methoxypyrimidin-4-one. Alkylation with alkyl halides in ace- tone/potassium carbonate in the presence of a phase-transfer cata- lyst (PTC) yielded an equimolar mixture of N3- and O 4 -alkylated products, which could be separated by dry column chromatogra- phy. The N3-alkylated uracil derivatives were converted to the corresponding 1-alkyl-2-methoxypurin-6-ones by standard proce- dures. PTC alkylation yielded an equimolar mixture of 7- and 9- alkylated isomers, which were again conveniently separated by dry column chromatography. The title compounds were obtained after acid hydrolysis of the 2-methoxy group in satisfactory yields.

Objective: Limited data suggest that CYP1A2 and CYP2D6 are involved in the metabolism of olanzapine. The purpose of this study was to further elucidate the role of these enzymes in the disposition of olanzapine in vivo. Methods: Seventeen healthy non-smoking male volunteers were included in the study. Five subjects were CYP2D6 poor metabolisers (PMs), and 12 were CYP2D6 extensive metabolisers (EMs). All subjects received a single oral dose of 7.5 mg olanzapine, and serum concentrations were measured for 96 h using gas chromatography. A cross-over study was undertaken in the 12 CYP2D6 EMs who at least 2 weeks before or after the olanzapine dose received a single oral dose of 200 mg caffeine. The concentrations of caffeine and paraxanthine were measured in saliva 10 h after caffeine intake, and the paraxanthine/caffeine ratio was calculated as a measure of CYP1A2 activity. Results: A threefold inter-individual variability in oral clearance (CLoral) and maximum serum concentration (Cmax) of olanzapine was observed and a 2.3-fold inter-individual variability in CYP1A2 activity. There was no significant correlation between CYP1A2 activity and oral clearance of olanzapine (r=–0.19, P=0.56). Moreover, there were no significant differences in any of the olanzapine pharmacokinetic parameters between the CYP2D6 PMs and EMs (CLoral=0.246 l h–1 kg–1 and 0.203 l h–1 kg–1, respectively, P=0.30). Conclusion: Neither CYP1A2 nor CYP2D6 seem to have a dominating role in olanzapine biotransformation after intake of a single dose.

Purpose - The CEIBA cocktail consisting of caffeine (CAF), omeprazole (OZ), dextromethorphan (DM) and losartan (LOS) was previously proposed for the clinical phenotyping of five major human cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes. This work aimed to assess the usefulness of CEIBA cocktail to study non-clinical drug interactions in the rat. Methods - Wistar rats were divided into five groups to receive a single-oral dose of each probe drug (CAF, OZ, LOS, DM), individually or in combination as a cocktail. Plasma concentrations of the probe drugs and their metabolites [paraxanthine (1,7-X), 5-hydroxyomeprazole (5-OZ), losartan carboxylic acid (E-3174), dextrorphan (DX) and 3-methoxymorphinan (3-MM)] were determined by LC-MS/MS, and the corresponding pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated by non-compartmental analysis. The AUC 0-t and C max drug/metabolite ratios (phenotypic metrics) were calculated for each probe drug and compared (probe alone versus cocktail). Results - The primary analysis of the pharmacokinetic data suggested the occurrence of pharmacokinetic-based drug interactions when the probe drugs were concurrently administered; such interactions were documented for CAF, 1,7-X, DX and E-3174. Nevertheless, except for the LOS/E-3174 probe drug-metabolite pair ( p

Caffeine (TMX) disposition was studied in mean after 1, 5, and 10 mg/kg in water, as mocha coffee (1.54 mg/kg) and as a soft drink (0.22 mg/kg). TMX and its metabolites were analyzed in plasma and urine by high-pressure liquid chromatography. The design permitted confirmation of most of the partial results in various experimental settings and contributed new data on the metabolic disposition of TMX, with specific reference to main dimethylxanthine metabolite found in plasma, paraxanthine (1,7-dimethylxanthine). Different analysis methods were compared for the calculated parameters (absorption and elimination rate constants and renal clearance)to assess the consistency of results. The kinetics of TMX and of its dimethylated metabolites in plasma were described with a model that used an analogdigital hybrid computing system. In addition to providing a comprehensive profile of TMS disposition in the healthy adult, the results indicate tha TMX exhibits dose-independent kinetics at the levels at which man normally takes TMX.

A correct estimate of ligand binding modes and a ratio of their occupancies is crucial for calculations of binding free energies. The newly developed method BLUES combines molecular dynamics with nonequilibrium candidate Monte Carlo. Nonequilibrium candidate Monte Carlo generates a plethora of possible binding modes and molecular dynamics enables the system to relax. We used BLUES to investigate binding modes of caffeine in the active site of its metabolizing enzyme Cytochrome P450 1A2 with the aim of elucidating metabolite-formation profiles at different concentrations. Because the activation energies of all sites of metabolism do not show a clear preference for one metabolite over the others, the orientations in the active site must play a key role. In simulations with caffeine located in a spacious pocket above the I-helix, it points N3 and N1 to the heme iron, whereas in simulations where caffeine is in close proximity to the heme N7 and C8 are preferably oriented toward the heme iron. We propose a mechanism where at low caffeine concentrations caffeine binds to the upper part of the active site, leading to formation of the main metabolite paraxanthine. On the other hand, at high concentrations two molecules are located in the active site, forcing one molecule into close proximity to the heme and yielding metabolites theophylline and trimethyluretic acid. Our results offer an explanation of previously published experimental results.

Importance: Multiple studies conducted in the general population identified an association between self-reported coffee consumption and plasma lipid levels. To date, no study assessed whether and which plasma methylxanthines (caffeine and/or its metabolites, i.e. paraxanthine, theophylline and theobromine) are associated with plasma lipids. In psychiatric patients, an important coffee consumption is often reported and many psychotropic drugs can induce a rapid and substantial increase of plasma lipid levels. Objective: To determine whether plasma methylxanthines are associated with metabolic parameters in psychiatric patients receiving treatments known to induce metabolic disturbances. Design, Setting and Participants: Data were obtained from a prospective study including 630 patients with metabolic parameters (i.e. body mass index [BMI], total cholesterol [TC], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [non-HDL-C], and fasting triglycerides [TG]) monitored routinely during psychotropic treatment. Exposures: Plasma methylxanthines levels. Main Outcomes and Measures: Metabolic variables including BMI and plasma lipid levels. Results: Multivariate analyses indicated that BMI, TC, HDL-C and non-HDL-C increased significantly with increasing total methylxanthines (pcorrected≤0.05). In addition, compared to patients with plasma caffeine concentration in the lowest quartile, those with caffeine concentration in the highest quartile were twice more prone to suffer from non-HDL hypercholesterolemia (pcorrected=0.05), five times more likely to suffer from hypertriglyceridemia (pcorrected=0.01) and four times more susceptible to be overweight (pcorrected=0.01). Conclusions and Relevance: This study showed that plasma caffeine and other methylxanthines are associated with worsening of metabolic parameters in patients receiving psychotropic treatments known to induce metabolic disturbances. It emphasizes that important caffeine consumption could be considered as an additional environmental risk factor for metabolic worsening in patients receiving such treatments.

High doses of caffeine (C) have been reported to be teratogenic in animals and persistent behavioral effects have been seen in the offspring of rodents fed C during pregnancy. We have characterized methylxanthine exposure and effects on fertility and fetal growth resulting from continuous prenatal infusion of C at doses comparable to human dietary intake in the rabbit. The rabbit was chosen for its similarities to the human in metabolism of C. 26 rabbits were administered C during gestation at rates of 0, 10 or 20 mg/kg/day via an implanted infusion pump. Does were sacrificed at 10, 20 or 29 days, and amniotic fluid, fetal CSF, plasma and gastric fluid were collected. Fluids were analyzed for C and its major metabolite paraxanthine (P), and fertility and fetal growth were assessed. P and C were homogeneously distributed in fetal fluids. Mean amniotic fluid to maternal plasma concentration ratios were 0.4 and 0.6 for P and C, respectively, increasing to 0.7 and 0.9 by the end of gestation. Methylxanthine exposure did not affect pregnancy rate, litter size or fetal weight. Length, brain weight and liver weight at 29 days were not significantly different (p>0.1). We have demonstrated that prenatal administration of C to rabbits results in significant fetal exposure to both C and P. This exposure at clinically relevant levels did not lead to structural teratology or adversely affect fertility or fetal growth. The potential for long-term alterations in behavior (behavioral teratology), however, remains to be defined by studies now in progress.