Theobromine is contains in high amount in the seeds of the cacao plant (10 - 40 mg/g), as well as in its derivatives like cacao and chocolate. The drug is also present in small quantity in tea, but is absent in coffee.
As theobromine is present in high amounts in cocoa powder and dark chocolate, it is used as a marker for the absorption of cocoa powder and dark chocolate.
The stimulatory properties of theobromine are about 10-fold lower than those of caffeine. Theobromine (C7H8O2N4) a 3,7-imethylxanthine is a bitter, crystalline an toxic alkaloid. It has diuretic and corona widening properties. High theobromine content is due to fermentation of shells before drying.
Theobromine may play a role in treating various cardiovascular pathologies. It has been reported that the ingestion of theobromine through cacao can have beneficial effects on the heart and blood vessels by increasing the levels of HDL cholesterol and reducing levels of LDL cholesterol in plasma.
Properties of theobromine
The word chocolate is derived from the Aztecs names for the tree, and for the drink they prepared from the beans. These words live on in Mexican today as ‘choclatl’ for the drink and ‘cacauatl’ for the tree. Chocolate was first cultivated as a crop, by ancient Mesoamerican peoples. They used cacao beans to create a frothy chocolate drink flavored with spices.
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