Caffeine appears as odorless white powder or white glistening needles, usually melted together. Bitter taste. Solutions in water are neutral to litmus. Odorless. (NTP, 1992) National Toxicology Program, Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NTP). 1992. National Toxicology Program Chemical Repository Database. Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. CAMEO Chemicals Caffeine is a trimethylxanthine in which the three methyl groups are located at positions 1, 3, and 7. A purine alkaloid that occurs naturally in tea and coffee. It has a role as a central nervous system stimulant, an EC 3.1.4.* (phosphoric diester hydrolase) inhibitor, an adenosine receptor antagonist, an EC 2.7.11.1 (non-specific serine/threonine protein kinase) inhibitor, a ryanodine receptor agonist, a fungal metabolite, an adenosine A2A receptor antagonist, a psychotropic drug, a diuretic, a food additive, an adjuvant, a plant metabolite, an environmental contaminant, a xenobiotic, a human blood serum metabolite, a mouse metabolite, a geroprotector and a mutagen. It is a purine alkaloid and a trimethylxanthine. ChEBI Caffeine is a drug of the methylxanthine class used for a variety of purposes, including certain respiratory conditions of the premature newborn, pain relief, and to combat drowsiness. Caffeine is similar in chemical structure to [Theophylline] and [Theobromine]. It can be sourced from coffee beans, but also occurs naturally in various teas and cacao beans, which are different than coffee beans. Caffeine is also used in a variety of cosmetic products and can be administered topically, orally, by inhalation, or by injection. The caffeine citrate injection, used for apnea of the premature newborn, was initially approved by the FDA in 1999. According to an article from 2017, more than 15 million babies are born prematurely worldwide. This correlates to about 1 in 10 births. Premature birth can lead to apnea and bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a condition that interferes with lung development and may eventually cause asthma or early onset emphysema in those born prematurely. Caffeine is beneficial in preventing and treating apnea and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in newborns, improving the quality of life of premature infants. DrugBank View More…