Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Coffee contains potent opiate receptor binding activity.

J H Boublik, M J Quinn, J A Clements

    Nature
    |January 20, 1983
    PubMed
    Summary

    Coffee contains compounds that interact with the body's opiate receptors, similar to exorphins found in milk proteins. This discovery suggests coffee consumption may trigger effects beyond caffeine stimulation.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Constraints to counting bioluminescence producing cells by a commonly used transgene promoter and its implications for experimental design.

    Scientific reports·2019
    Same author

    The Microwell-mesh: A high-throughput 3D prostate cancer spheroid and drug-testing platform.

    Scientific reports·2018
    Same author

    A humanised tissue-engineered bone model allows species-specific breast cancer-related bone metastasis in vivo.

    Journal of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine·2017
    Same author

    Determining Protease Substrates Within a Complex Protein Background Using the PROtein TOpography and Migration Analysis Platform (PROTOMAP).

    Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2017
    Same author

    Hypermethylation of the 5' CpG island of the gene encoding the serine protease Testisin promotes its loss in testicular tumorigenesis.

    British journal of cancer·2015
    Same author

    The kallikrein-related peptidase family: Dysregulation and functions during cancer progression.

    Biochimie·2015

    Area of Science:

    • Pharmacology
    • Food Science
    • Neuroscience

    Background:

    • Opiate receptor-active peptide fragments (exorphins) and morphine have been detected in milk.
    • Previous research identified exorphins in casein and gluten hydrolysates.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the presence of opiate receptor-active compounds in foodstuffs beyond milk.
    • To screen various food sources for opiate receptor activity using a rat brain homogenate assay.

    Main Methods:

    • Screening of instant coffee powders using a rat brain homogenate assay to detect opiate receptor activity.
    • Competition binding assays with tritiated naloxone.
    • Bioassays to determine the antagonistic and specific nature of the opiate receptor activity.
    • Preliminary characterization of the active compounds (MW, heat stability, extractability, enzymatic digestion, TLC).

    Related Experiment Videos

    Main Results:

    • Instant coffee powders, both normal and decaffeinated, exhibit opiate receptor binding activity.
    • The activity acts as an opiate antagonist, showing no change in ED50 with Na+ and specificity for opiate-induced inhibition.
    • Preliminary characterization indicates a heat-stable, ether-extractable compound with MW 1,000-3,500, not affected by papain digestion and separable from caffeine/morphine.
    • The concentration in coffee is approximately five times the ED50, suggesting a significant physiological effect.

    Conclusions:

    • Coffee contains compounds that bind to opiate receptors and exhibit antagonistic activity.
    • These coffee-derived compounds may contribute to physiological effects beyond those of caffeine.
    • Further research is warranted to identify the specific compounds responsible for this opiate receptor activity in coffee.