Is it true that tea has no caffeine/What is theine, theobromine, etc?
From “Principles of biochemistry”, Horton and al, 1993. Caffeine is sometimes called “theine” when it’s in tea. This is probably due to an ancient misconception that the active constituent is different. Theophylline is present only in trace amounts. It is more diuretic, more toxic and less speedy. Caffeine 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine Theophylline 1,3-dimethylxanthine Theobromine 3,7-dimethylxanthine Coffee and tea contain caffeine and theophylline, respectively, which are methylated purine derivatives that inhibit cAMP phosphodiesterase. In the presence of these inhibitors, the effects of cAMP, and thus the stimulatory effects of the hormones that lead to its production, are prolonged and intensified. Theobromine and theophylline are two dimethylxanthines that have two rather than three methyl groups. Theobromine is considerably weaker than caffeine and theophylline, having about one tenth the stimulating effect of either. Theobromine is found in cocoa products, tea (only in very small amo
