Definition of theobromine in English:
theobromine
nounˌθɪə(ʊ)ˈbrəʊmɪnˌθɪə(ʊ)ˈbrəʊmiːn
mass nounChemistry A bitter, volatile compound obtained from cacao seeds. It is an alkaloid resembling caffeine in its physiological effects.
Chemical formula: C₇H₈N₄O₂
Example sentencesExamples
- Cocoa contains theobromine, an alkaloid that penetrates the skin to the subcutaneous fat layer and may help stimulate the release of stored fat.
- The chocolate loved by humans is made from cocoa beans and contains a chemical called theobromine which, in high concentrations, can affect a dog's heart, lungs and central nervous system.
- Alkaloids have been described as components of plant defence responses and the two main alkaloids found in cocoa are caffeine and theobromine.
- Caffeine and theobromine are two naturally occurring alkaloids that are present in plants used to brew beverages in many cultures.
- There is no caffeine in chocolate, though a related compound, theobromine, is present.
- Using a machine called a mass spectrometer, Hurst identified the compound theobromine in some of that residue.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from modern Latin Theobroma (genus name, from Greek theos 'god' and brōma 'food') + -ine4.