Theobromine, formerly known as xantheose, is a bitter alkaloid of the cacao plant, with the chemical formula C7H8N4O2. It is found in chocolate, as well as in a number of other foods, including the leaves of the tea plant, and the cola nut. It is classified as a xanthine alkaloid, which also include the similar compounds theophylline and caffeine.The compounds differ in that caffeine has an extra methyl group
Despite its name, the compound contains no bromine—theobromine is derived from Theobroma, the name of the genus of the cacao tree, with the suffix -ine given to alkaloids and other basic nitrogen-containing compounds.
-Theobromine is a slightly water-soluble (330 mg/l), crystalline, bitter powder. Theobromine is white or colourless, but commercial samples can be yellowish.
-It has an effect similar to, but lesser than, that of caffeine in the human nervous system, making it a lesser homologue. Theobromine is an isomer of theophylline, as well as paraxanthine.
Theobromine was first discovered in 1841 in cacao beans by Russian chemist Alexander Voskresensky.Synthesis of theobromine from xanthine was first reported in 1882 by Hermann Emil Fischer.
The chemical components of chocolate are listed in more than 500 different varieties. Among them, theobromine is present in considerable quantities in cocoa beans. Chocolate is made with cocoa, sugar and cocoa butter. As a result, the presence of theobromine in chocolate depends on the cocoa content. In the composition of dark chocolate, for a weight of 100g, it is at a value of 0.6g. In milk chocolate, theobromine is 0.2g. And in white chocolate, its presence is not detected. Aside from theobromine, there are also carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals and trace elements in chocolate. But theobromine content is not exclusive to the cocoa bean and chocolate. This substance is present in low doses in the coffee beans, in the mate leaves and in the guarana and tea we drink.
Advantages and disadvantages of theobromine
Consumption of theobromine can have various effects on the human body. Generally, it causes a feeling of well-being. Indeed, this substance is a mild stimulant that improves mood. It plays the role of anti-depressant. In medicine, it is used as a cardiac stimulant and diuretic, that is to say it increases the urinary secretion and vasodilator where it has the function of dilating the blood vessels. Given the minimal amount of theobromine in chocolate, it has no adverse effect on health. However, ingested in large quantities, it is likely to increase the risk of prostate cancer in men. Otherwise, this substance influences a drug on the body and can create an addictive action. It stimulates the nervous system and leads to an inhibition of fatigue. It also acts as a sexual stimulant with effects on the hypothalamus.