Caffeine
Synonyms
1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine
1H-Purine-2,6-dione, 3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-
Berlin-Chemie Brand of Caffeine
Bristol-Myers Squibb Brand of Caffeine
Caffedrine
Coffeinum N
Coffeinum Purrum
Dexitac
Durvitan
GlaxoSmithKline Brand of Caffeine
Merck dura Brand of Caffeine
No Doz
Passauer Brand of Caffeine
Percoffedrinol N
Percutafeine
Pierre Fabre Brand of Caffeine
Quick-Pep
Republic Drug Brand of Caffeine
Seid Brand of Caffeine
Thompson Brand 1 of Caffeine
Thompson Brand 2 of Caffeine
Vivarin
A methylxanthine naturally occurring in some beverages and also used as a pharmacological agent. Caffeine's most notable pharmacological effect is as a central nervous system stimulant, increasing alertness and producing agitation. It also relaxes SMOOTH MUSCLE, stimulates CARDIAC MUSCLE, stimulates DIURESIS, and appears to be useful in the treatment of some types of headache. Several cellular actions of caffeine have been observed, but it is not entirely clear how each contributes to its pharmacological profile. Among the most important are inhibition of cyclic nucleotide PHOSPHODIESTERASES, antagonism of ADENOSINE RECEPTORS, and modulation of intracellular calcium handling.