ABSTRACT
Abstract 186
Introduction 187
Antiaddiction Effects of Coffee 188
Antidepressant Effects of Coffee 190
Antioxidant Effects of Coffee 190
Conclusions 192
Acknowledgments 192
References 192
ABSTRACT
Caffeine exerts the dominant effects in the central nervous system after ingestion of coffee, so little attention has been paid to the actions of noncaffeine constituents in coffee. Similar to all plants, coffee contains numerous constituents. Because some of the effects of these compounds may modify or even oppose those of caffeine, the results of their presence in consumed coffee would be difficult to observe, except in decaffeinated coffee. Recently, it has been suggested that roasted coffee contains agents with anticraving properties, which may affect the ability of individuals who consume coffee to better cope with addiction. Another piece of evidence from epidemiological studies of suicide rates suggests that coffee constituents may have an antidepressant effect. Coffee also contains compounds with weak estrogenic activity, which may cause an increase in muscarinic cholinergic receptors involved in cognition. The antioxidant activity of caffeic acid and its metabolites may play a role in protecting brain cells from free radical oxidation. Further, because the brain, like other organs in the body, depends on blood flow to ensure access to oxygenated hemoglobin, the cardiovascular effects of roasted coffee may play a significant role in preventing stroke and other degenerative diseases of the brain.
