Caffeine (C₈H₁₀N₄O₂)
The secret of coffee
Summary
Caffeine is the molecule behind the effect of coffee and tea. It increases alertness by blocking the adenosine receptors that carry the signal of sleepiness in the brain.
In depth
Caffeine is an alkaloid in the xanthine group; its structure contains a purine ring (a pyrimidine fused with an imidazole) and three methyl groups. It binds to the receptors of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that builds up in the brain as neural activity increases and makes us sleepy, but blocks them without activating them, so the sleep signal is not "heard". A typical cup of coffee contains 80–100 mg of caffeine and a cup of tea 30–50 mg; in an adult body its half-life is about 5 hours.
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