Abstract

An extract with cholinergic activities was isolated from instant regular and decaffeinated coffees and purified. Intravenous injection of this cholinomimetic extract of coffee produced an abrupt depression in blood pressure and heart rate, changes that were distinct from those of known components of coffee, including caffeine, trigonelline, catechin, and chlorogenic acid. Pretreatment of the animals with naloxone, propranolol, isobutylmethylxanthine, hexamethonium bromide, and hemicholinium-3 chloride or bilateral vagotomy did not affect the cardiodepressive effects of the extract, whereas atropine completely abolished them. Direct injection of the cholinomimetic extract of coffee (20-100 micrograms) into the periaqueductal gray area of the midbrain did not produce any cardiovascular effect. However, the extract of coffee did cause relaxation of isolated rat and rabbit aortic ring preparations that were contracted under norepinephrine. The cholinomimetic extract did not inhibit purified acetylcholinesterase. This pharmacologic profile indicates that the cholinomimetic extract of coffee acts as a direct muscarinic agonist.