Caffeine

Photograph of Caffeine under the microscope.

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant most commonly found in the coffee we drink every morning. As a drug, caffeine is used to help restore mental alertness and to prevent drowsiness. Like most xanthines that serve as the nucleus for pharmacological agents, caffeine is rapidly absorbed and distributed in all body tissues and fluids including the central nervous system, fetal tissues, and breast milk. Caffeine is cleared from the body through metabolism and excreted in the urine. Symptoms of overdose include insomnia, restlessness, tremor, delirium, tachycardia, and running of the mouth.

© 1995-2022 by Michael W. Davidson and The Florida State University. All Rights Reserved. No images, graphics, software, scripts, or applets may be reproduced or used in any manner without permission from the copyright holders. Use of this website means you agree to all of the Legal Terms and Conditions set forth by the owners.
This website is maintained by our
Graphics & Web Programming Team
in collaboration with Optical Microscopy at the
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.
Last modification: Monday, Jul 02, 2018 at 04:22 PM
Access Count Since April 15, 1997: 151496