Abstract
To investigate the role of 7-methylxanthine as an intermediary compound in the degradation of theobromine to ranthine in coffee, leaves and immature fruits of Coffea dewevrei were incubated with [8- 3 H]caffeine plus allopurinol. In vivo inhibition of xanthine degradation occurred in fruits and leaves fed with allopurinol since marked incorporation of radioactivity in xanthine and 7-methylxanthine was observed. Nevertheless, HPLC analysis did not reveal any radioactivity in 7-methylxanthine. The results suggest that in coffee theobromine is degraded to xanthine via 3-methylxanthine and 7-methylxanthine is exclusively involved in the caffeine biosynthesis pathway
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