39 G VEGETABLE DRUGS 



caffeone. Tea contains 1.36-3. per cent, of caffeine, or theine, 

 and also a volatile oil and tannic acid. Guarana (the seeds 

 of PauUinia cupana) contains 4 to 5 per cent, of caffeine; 

 mate, or Paraguay tea (the leaves of Ilex paraguayensis), 

 contains .4.5-1.2 per cent. Caffeine is found in kola nut (the 

 fruit of Sterculia acuminata), used as a beverage in Africa, 

 and now as a nervous stimulant in human medicine, and is 

 allied to theobromine, occuring in chocolate beans, and to 

 cocaine, existing in coca leaves. 



Incompatibility. — Caffeine is incompatible with mercury 

 salts, potassium iodide and tannic acid. 



Dosp.—'R. and C, 3 i--ii- (4.-8.) ; D., gr.-ss.-iii. (.03-.2), 

 according to size. 



Caffeina Citeata. Citrated Caffeine. (U. S. P.) 



Derivation. — Dissolve citric acid (50) in hot, distflled 

 water (100); add caffeine (50) and evaporate the resulting 

 solution, on a water bath, to dryness, constantly stirring 

 towards the end of the operation. Reduce the product to a 

 fine powder and transfer it to well-closed bottles. 



Properties. — A white powder, odorless, having a purely 

 acid taste and acid reaction. One part of citrated caffeine 

 forms a clear, syrupy solution, with about 3 parts of water. 

 Upon dilution with water this yields a white precipitate 

 (caffeine), which redissolves when about 25 parts of water 

 have been added. It is also soluble in a mixture of two 

 volumes of chloroform and 1 volume of ether. 



Dose.—3.., gr.xv.-xxx. (1.-2.); D., gr.i.-vi. (.06-.36). 



Action Internal. — Caffeine has no particular action upon 

 the digestive tract, except in large quantities, when it may 

 cause gastro-intestinal irritation. The effect of caffeine and 

 raw coffee is identical, but when the latter is roasted, aroma- 

 tic oils, or an empyreumatic oil, are developed (caffeone). 

 It is impossible to separate completely the action of caffeine 

 from caffeone in boiled coffee. Recent investigations appear 

 to show that the oil (caffeone), of which there is from one to 



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