Cafestol is a

diterpenoid Diterpenes are a class of chemical compounds composed of four isoprene units, often with the molecular formula C20H32. They are biosynthesized by plants, animals and fungi via the HMG-CoA reductase pathway, with geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate being ...

molecule A molecule is a group of two or more atoms held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions which satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemistry, and bioche ...

present in

coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. Seeds of ...

beans. It is one of the compounds that may be responsible for proposed biological and pharmacological effects of coffee.

Sources

A typical bean of '' Coffea arabica'' contains about 0.4-0.7% cafestol by weight. Cafestol is present in highest quantity in unfiltered coffee drinks such as

French press A French press, also known as a cafetière, ''cafetière à piston'', ''caffettiera a stantuffo'', press pot, coffee press, or coffee plunger, is a coffee brewing device, although it can also be used for other tasks. In 1923 Ugo Paolini, an Ital ...

coffee or

Turkish coffee Turkish coffee is a style of coffee prepared in a '' cezve'' using very finely ground coffee beans without filtering. Preparation Turkish coffee is very finely ground coffee brewed by boiling. Any coffee bean may be used; arabica varieties are ...

/ Greek coffee. In filtered coffee drinks such as

drip brew Brewed coffee is made by pouring hot water onto ground coffee beans, then allowing to brew. There are several methods for doing this, including using a filter, a percolator, and a French press. Terms used for the resulting coffee often reflect t ...

ed coffee, it is present in only negligible amounts, as the paper filter in drip filtered coffee retains the diterpenes.

Research into biological activity

Coffee consumption has been associated with a number of effects on health and cafestol has been proposed to produce these through a number of biological actions. Studies have shown that regular consumption of boiled coffee increases serum cholesterol whereas filtered coffee does not. Cafestol may act as an agonist

ligand In coordination chemistry, a ligand is an ion or molecule ( functional group) that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex. The bonding with the metal generally involves formal donation of one or more of the ligand's elec ...

for the nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor and pregnane X receptor, blocking cholesterol

homeostasis In biology, homeostasis (British also homoeostasis) (/hɒmɪə(ʊ)ˈsteɪsɪs/) is the state of steady internal, physical, and chemical conditions maintained by living systems. This is the condition of optimal functioning for the organism and ...

. Thus cafestol can increase cholesterol synthesis. Cafestol has also shown anticarcinogenic properties in rats. National Toxicology Program (NTP)
''Cafestol (CASRN 469-83-0) and Kahweol (CASRN 6894-43-5) - Review of Toxicological Literature.'' (PDF)
October 1999 Cafestol also has neuroprotective effects in a ''

Drosophila ''Drosophila'' () is a genus of flies, belonging to the family Drosophilidae, whose members are often called "small fruit flies" or (less frequently) pomace flies, vinegar flies, or wine flies, a reference to the characteristic of many speci ...

'' fruit fly model of

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...

. *

References

{{Xenobiotic-sensing receptor modulators CYP3A4 inhibitors Diterpenes Farnesoid X receptor agonists Furans Vicinal diols Pregnane X receptor agonists Cyclopentanes

Sources

Research into biological activity

See also

References