![]() Mice were treated with caffeine (5 mg/kg, CAF), cocaine (10 mg/kg, COC), or their combination (caffeine 5 mg/kg + cocaine 10 mg/kg, CAF-COC) and trained in the CPP test or treated with repeated injections inside the home cage. The goal of the present study was thus to determine caffeine and cocaine combined effects on the Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) test and to determine potential differential mRNA expression in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of immediate-early genes (IEGs) as well as dopamine and adenosine receptor subunits. However, little is known about the effects of this drug combination on reward-related learning, a key process in the maintenance of addiction and vulnerability to relapse. ![]() Previous studies have shown that caffeine can potentiate the stimulant effects of cocaine and cocaine-induced drug seeking behavior. 5Laboratorio de Fisiología y Biología Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, ArgentinaĬaffeine is the world's most popular psychostimulant and is frequently used as an active adulterant in many illicit drugs including cocaine.4National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Program, Molecular Neuropsychiatry Research Branch, Baltimore, MD, United States.3Departamento de Neurofarmacología Experimental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay.2Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.1Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.Prieto 3 †, Betina González 1,2, Máximo H. Currently, there are four methods of decaffeination: methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, carbon dioxide, and water processing.Javier A. In the United States, ethyl acetate is the most widely used decaffeination method for tea.ĬO2 is a non-toxic, nonflammable, colorless and odorless gas which is a naturally-occurring part of the air we breathe. Although elevated levels of CO2 in our atmosphere contribute to global warming, it's generally an inert substance. This is called its "supercritical" state, which is why CO2 decaffeination is also referred to as "Supercritial CO2 Decaffeination" or "Supercritical Fluid Extraction." Under pressure and temperature, however, CO2 is able to flow freely through natural materials (like tea) and has strong solvent capabilities. To begin the CO2 decaffeination process, the tea leaves are moistened with water and placed under pressure. Then streams of pressurized and heated CO2 are passed through the tea leaves, where it bonds with the caffeine molecules while leaving the tea leaves otherwise intact. Finally, the newly-decaffeinated tea leaves are dried.Īrbor Teas uses the carbon dioxide (CO2) method for our organic decaffeinated teas.Īfter passing through the tea leaves, the caffeine-laden CO2 is filtered to remove the caffeine, and then recycled for further use in decaffeination. We feel that this is the safest form of decaffeination, while retaining the greatest flavor and health benefits. According to tea "technologist" Nigel Melican, tea decaffeinated using the CO2 method retains 92 percent of its polyphenols (antioxidants) compared to tea decaffeinated using the ethyl acetate process, which only retains 18 percent. We also support the CO2 decaffeination method because the CO2 used for decaffeination is filtered and recycled at a rate of around 99% and emits very little CO2 into the atmosphere. ![]() Methylene chloride decaffeination is a process by which the molecules of caffeine bond to molecules of methylene chloride. Caffeine is removed directly by soaking the tea leaves in methylene chloride.
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