Talk:Theobromine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

	This article is within the scope of WikiProject Medicine. Please visit the project page for details or ask questions at the doctor's mess.
B	rated as b-Class on the assessment scale
Mid	rated as mid-importance on the assessment scale

	Theobromine is part of WikiProject Pharmacology, a project to improve all Pharmacology-related articles. If you would like to help improve this and other pharmacology articles, please join the project. All interested editors are welcome.
B	This article has been rated as b-Class on the quality scale.
Mid	This article has been rated as mid-importance for this Project's importance scale.

Theobromine was a good article candidate, but did not meet the good article criteria at the time. Once the objections listed below are addressed, the article can be renominated. You may also seek a review of the decision if you feel there was a mistake. Date of review: 2007-02-28

Contents 1 How does caffeine "increase stress"? 2 Why is there no bromine in the theobromine molecule? 3 How is chocolate "safe for humans to consume in large quantities"? 4 Could we get a correct molecular structure for Theobromine on this page? 5 From PNA/Chemicals 6 Caffeine article says that caffeine is metabolized to it 7 Vector drawing of theobromine 8 common saying 9 Prostate cancer 10 GA review 11 GA fail

[edit] How does caffeine "increase stress"?

This is not mentioned in the caffeine article. I sure would like to see a source.

From the caffeine article: "Symptoms of caffeine intoxication include: restlessness, nervousness, excitement..." I guess that the general idea is that large doses of caffeine often induce stress-like symptoms. Caffeine in smaller doses has a slightly similar effect, but 'stress' is a very strong word for it.--Simen 88 13:39, 29 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Why is there no bromine in the theobromine molecule?

To call it theobromine, technically there must be bromine in the molecule. It is posssible that the diagram of the molecule of theobromine is incorrect. Chemically, it has no properties like that of bromine and probably does not look like it since bromine is a brown/red liquid which an indivisable chemical element.

The name is derived from greek, as explained in the introduction. It is not a description of the formula.Simen 88 21:18, 17 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] How is chocolate "safe for humans to consume in large quantities"?

Could someone clarify the following statement, which is somewhat confusing: "In chocolate, theobromine exists in doses that are safe for humans to consume in large quantities"

---

Read the whole statement:arge quantities, but can be lethal for animals such as dogs and horses, as they metabolize theobromine more slowly."

I suggest:

"Very high levels of theobromine can be dangerous to some mammals. Humans metabolise theobromine quickly, making it almost impossible to suffer harm from theobromine poisoning due to excessive chocolate consumption. Other animals, including horses and dogs, metabolise theobromine much more slowly, so even moderate chocolate consumption can be fatal."

but a better version yet would say why and how:

"Very high levels of theobromine can be dangerous because XXXX. Humans metabolise theobromine quickly (broken down by the liver or what?), making it almost impossible to suffer harm from theobromine poisoning due to excessive chocolate consumption. Other animals, including horses and dogs, metabolise theobromine much more slowly, so even moderate chocolate consumption can be fatal."

Can someone explain the pathology and metabolism, to fill out my latter suggestion? -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 21:14, July 19, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Could we get a correct molecular structure for Theobromine on this page?

I just did an elemental analysis on the ball and stick Theobromine molecule on my desk and found that, contrary to the picture we offer to readers, there are 7 carbons and 8 hydrogens in the Theobromine molecule. I am in the middle of a chimpanzee agonistic political turf battle right now myself, but the next time I take a coffee break, I will put two methyl groups on the two sticks with no balls.  :)) Would you agree that this should be done? Perhaps, we could just start with the caffeine molecule and replace the methyl group between the two carbonyls with a hydrogen. What do you think? ---Rednblu | Talk 16:08, 3 September 2005 (UTC)

Why? The "sticks with no balls" clearly terminate in methyl groups; anything else would need to be shown, but the methyl groups come as standard. EdC 22:01, 18 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] From PNA/Chemicals

• Theobromine need a check on teratogenicity and mutagenicity

the article is not clear. I've removed Theobromine from Category:Teratogens --Melaen 21:55, 25 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Caffeine article says that caffeine is metabolized to it

The Caffeine article says that caffeine is metabolized to three components one of which is theobromine. If that's true, shouldn't this article reflect that. Here I read theobromine has very different effects from caffeine. In that case that statement wouldn't be very precise would it. --Fs 11:48, 17 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Vector drawing of theobromine

I'm looking to do up a vector version of image:theobromine.png, based on image:theophylline.png. I just want to check one thing: is the H on the nitrogen at left needed or would it be implicit if left off? -- Perey 07:28, 9 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] common saying

Many people say that theobromine is the ingredient in chocolate that has the same effect as "falling in love." Any idea where that all comes from?66.41.66.213 04:34, 5 November 2006 (UTC)

I can't find any concrete information on theobromine having this effect, but it is well known that it is mood-enhancing. I did, however, find this. I assume some people have drawn a connection between theobromine's effects and chocolate's effects.Simen 88 14:20, 26 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Prostate cancer

From the abstract of the article by Slattery and West it is clear that the theobromine intake was purely from chocolate (I think there are not that many people who take theobromine as a supplement). Couldn't the higher risk of prostate cancer be caused by some other substance in chocolate or is there other evidence pointing at theobromine? Icek 12:25, 28 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] GA review

Pretty good article, although there are a few issues which preclude its listing as a GA right now:

1. Methylxanthine family—there isn't really a black-letter chemical "taxonomy" of this sort AFAIK, so I'd reword it to "the methylxanthine class of chemical compounds" or something to that effect.
2. Under "Properties", you can link "inhibitor" to either enzyme inhibitor or phosphodiesterase inhibitor, not just "inhibitor". "Homologue" should be linked to homologous series.
3. Please add ISBNs to all book references.
4. Please italicize all scientific names as per MoS:T.
5. I'd like to see some History—when it was first isolated, synthesized, etc. Maybe a little bit more on the history of cocoa/chocolate and its effects.
6. Can you find data to fill in the Drugbox? It is painfully empty right now.

Otherwise, it's good. When these issues are addressed, it will be Good :) Fvasconcellos 14:26, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

If you don't mind, I'm going to cross out your points as you go along. I'll do my best to continue research on it. And of course, I will find the ISBNs. I'm sure the books are legitimate; I've gotten them from this really cool online library. I should get back to work. —Signed, your friendly neighborhood MessedRocker. 21:17, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

Go ahead and strike them through. Nice work so far. Fvasconcellos 21:37, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

By the way, what constitutes a scientific name? —Signed, your friendly neighborhood MessedRocker. 21:18, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

Names of species and genera—see Binomial nomenclature. Fvasconcellos 21:37, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

Ohh, those scientific names. Anyways, I italicised their names. All we have left to do is create some sort of history section, then the article will be ready for Good Articledom! —Signed, your friendly neighborhood MessedRocker. 02:33, 1 March 2007 (UTC)

Yes, those' :) Almost there, keep up the good work. I like to see tag-teaming improvement! Fvasconcellos 14:09, 1 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] GA fail

Sorry, but for the moment I am failing this article's GA nomination. Although it is well referenced and pretty well written, it could still be broader in scope. I realize GAC is meant for short articles, but this merits expansion IMHO. Thanks for your work so far and best wishes, Fvasconcellos 00:06, 8 March 2007 (UTC)