Paraxanthine | |
---|---|
1,7-dimethyl-3H-purine-2,6-dione |
|
Other names
paraxanthine, |
|
Identifiers | |
CAS number | 611-59-6 |
PubChem | 4687 |
ChemSpider | 4525 |
UNII | Q3565Y41V7 |
ChEBI | CHEBI:25858 |
ChEMBL | CHEMBL1158 |
Jmol-3D images | Image 1 |
|
|
|
|
Properties | |
Molecular formula | C7H8N4O2 |
Molar mass | 180.16 g/mol |
Melting point |
351-352 °C |
(verify) (what is: / ?) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) |
|
Infobox references |
Paraxanthine, or 1,7-dimethylxanthine, is a dimethyl derivative of xanthine, structurally related to caffeine. Like caffeine, paraxanthine is a psychoactive central nervous system (CNS) stimulant. It possesses a potency roughly equal to that of caffeine and is likely involved in the mediation of the effects of caffeine itself.
Contents |
Paraxanthine is not produced by plants and is only observed in nature as a metabolite of caffeine in animals. After intake, roughly 84% of caffeine is demethylated at the 3-position to yield paraxanthine, making it the chief metabolite of caffeine in the body.[1]
Certain proposed synthetic pathways of caffeine make use of paraxanthine as a bypass intermediate. However, its absence in plant alkaloid assays implies that these are infrequently, if ever, directly produced by plants.
Paraxanthine has a number of physiological effects on animals:
Paraxanthine is believed to exhibit a lower toxicity than caffeine.[7] While blood levels commensurate with average intake appear to be fairly innocuous, high blood concentrations of paraxanthine have been linked to miscarriage in pregnant mothers.[8]
|