Title:The Effects of Caffeine on the Cholinergic System
Volume: 14
Issue: 6
Author(s): Miroslav Pohanka
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Acetylcholine, acetylcholinesterase, acetylcholine receptor, butyrylcholinesterase, caffeine, cholinergic antiinflammatory
pathway.
Abstract: Caffeine is a secondary metabolite of tea and coffee plants. It is the active psychostimulant ingredient of widely
consumed beverages, chocolate and some drugs as well. The major pathways for caffeine including interaction with
adenosine receptors have been identified but caffeine has several minor pathways as well that remain poorly understood
including the cholinergic system. Given the role of caffeine in the cholinergic system, some molecular targets have been
tracked and a mechanism of its action has been proposed in research studies. However, the biological effect of caffeine on
the cholinergic system is not completely understood. The present review focuses on the role of caffeine in the cholinergic
system.