Coffea arabica

The coffee plant is a relatively small tree or shmb belonging to the family Rubiaceae. It is often controlled to a height of 3 to 5 meters. Coffea arabica (milds) accounts for 69% of world production Coffea canephora (robustas), 30% and Coffea liberica and others, 1%. Each of these species includes several varieties. After the spring rains the plant produces white flowers. About sis months later the flowers are replaced by fmit approximately the size of a small cherry, hence they are called cherry. The fmit on a tree can include underripe, ripe (red, yellow, and purple color), and overripe cherries. It can be selectively picked (ripe only) or strip picked (predominantly ripe plus some underripe and overripe). 

C. R. Barton and co-workers, "Stable Transformation of Foreign DNA into Coffea Arabica Plants," in Ref. 40. 

Xanthines such as caffeine (1)> theophylline (aminophylline) (2), and theobromine (3) are a class of alkaloids that occur in numerous plants. The CNS stimulant activity of aqueous infusions containing these compounds has been recognized since antiquity. This has, of course, led to widespread consumption of such well-known beverages as coffee (Coffea arabica), tea (Thea sinesis), mate, and cola beverages (in part Cola acuminata). The annual consumption of caffeine in the United States alone has been estimated to be in excess of a billion kilos. The pure compounds have found some use in the clinic as CNS stimulants. In addition, caffeine is widely used in conjunction with aspirin in various headache remedies. 

Roberts, M.F. and Waller, G.R., N-methyltransferases and 7-methyl-N9-nucleo-side hydrolase activity in Coffea arabica and the biosynthesis of caffeine, Phytochemistry, 18,451,1979. 

The two main species of commercial interest in the genus Coffea are Coffea arabica and Coffe a canephora var. robusta. They are conveniently referred to as Arabica and Robusta, respectively. Each genus covers a number of varietals there are at least 13 varieties of Arabica coffees, for example. The genus is in the botanical family of Rubiaceae. 

Coffea arabica is a glossy-leaved shrub or small tree with fragrant white flowers and red berry fruit. It was introduced into Arabia, in Yemen, in the... 

The two major species of coffee grown commercially are Coffea arabica and Coffe a canephora var. robusta. For ease of reference in the following pages they are described as Arabica and Robusta, respectively. They are mentioned separately because they do show differences in their chemical composition. For example, Robusta contains approximately twice as much caffeine as Arabica. 

Oliveira, J. C., Silva, D. M., Amorim, H. V., Enzymatic activity of polyphenoloxidase and catalase in Coffea arabica L. seeds and seedlings, Cientifica, 4, 68, 1976. (CA85 139854e)... 

Tiscornia, E., Centi-Grossi, M., Tassi-Micco, C., Evangelisti, F., The sterol fraction of the oil extracted from coffee (Coffea arabica L.) seeds, Riv. Ital. Sostanze Grasse, 56, 283, 1979. (CA92 90899b)... 

Rizvi, S. J. H., Jaiswal, V., Mukerji, D., Mather, S. N., Antifungal properties of 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine isolated from Coffea arabica, Naturwissenschaften, 67, 459, 1980. (CA93 180195u)... 

Gopal, N. H., Venkataramanan, D., Effect of ethrel on carbohydrate fractions of Coffea arabica L. fruits, Turrialba. 27, 101, 1977. (CA87 97235n)... 

Coffea arabica Seed, fruit Brazil, Colombia Coffee 1.1... 

The world s coffee supply comes primarily from two major types of coffee beans, Arabica (Coffea arabica) and Robusta (Coffea canephora), which differ in several characteristics as well as caffeine content. Arabica is favored for its finer aroma, flavor, and body, and contains 1% caffeine. Robusta is neutral and contains twice as much caffeine.1 The ratio of... 

Simkin, A. J., H. Moreau et al. (2008) An investigation of carotenoid biosynthesis in Cofjea canephora and Coffea arabica. J. Plant Physiol. 165(10) 1087-1106. 

Coenzyme A (CoA), 20 249—250. See also Ace to acetyl- Co A in citric acid cycle, 6 633 Coenzyme Q10, 17 673 Coercivity, ofM-type ferrites, 11 70 Coextruded food packaging, 18 44, 45 Coextrusion techniques, for gelatin capsule preparation, 11 549 Cofactors, 10 253 11 4 folic acid, 25 801-802 for enzymes, 3 672-673 protein, 20 828-829 vitamin B12, 25 804 vitamins as, 25 781 Coffea arabica, 7 250 Cojfea Canephora, 7 250 Coffea liberica, 7 250 Coffee, 2 108 6 366 7 250-271 biotechnology, 7 265-267 decaffeinated, 7 263 economic aspects, 7 263-264 estimated maximum oxygen tolerance, 3 381t... 

Coffea arabica L. produces coffee of the best quality and it is by far the most important species. It is composed of several varieties that have developed spontaneously in the past a few new ones are being found at the present time. These varieties include Arabian, Mokka, Maragogipe, and such types, which produce the costly mild flavored coffees. This species is the most delicate, and is almost the only one... 

Coffee Coffea arabica). Reprinted from Culbreth DMR. (1927). Materia Medica and Pharmacognosy, 7th ed. Philadelphia Lea Febiger. 

As these examples show, different defenses among plant parts and seasonal differences have to be considered together. Coffee Coffea arabica) is a well-investigated example of increased chemical defenses when the plant is most vulnerable to herb ivory. The concentration of the alkaloid caffeine (Fig. 11.18) varies between plant parts and with the growth cycle. In the germinating seed, the... 

Frischknecht, P. M., Ulmer-Dufek, J., and Baumann, T. W. (1986). Purine alkaloid formation in buds and developing leaflets of Coffea arabica expression of an optimal defence strategy. Phytochemistry 25,613-616. 

In contrast with the seed caffeine of Coffea species, relatively little attention has been paid to that of tea. This is in part because the fruit of tea, including the seeds, is of minor economic importance compared with that of coffee moreover earlier studies revealed little caffeine in the tea seed (13.141. Recently we (H) found that the pericarp contains the greatest concentrations of alkaloids in the dry fruit of tea, and that appreciable amounts occur in the seeds, especially in the coats. Thus, from physiological and ecological viewpoints, our concerns are the roles of purine alkaloids and seed coats of tea during fruit development (seed formation) and seed germination. Caffeine in Coffea arabica seed is synthesized in the pericarp, transported to the seed, and accumulated there during fruit... 

Purine alkaloids Caffeine synthase Camellia sinensis, Coffea arabica... 

Martins, M. L., Martins, H. M., and Gimeno, A. (2003). Incidence of microflora and of ochratoxin A in green coffee beans (Coffea arabica). Food Addit. Contam. 20,1127-1131. 

Higuchi, K., T. Suzuki and H. Ashihara. Pipecolic acid from the developing fruits (pericarp and seeds) of Coffea arabica and Camellia sinensis. Colloq Sci Int Cafe(C. R.) 1995 16 389-395. Yoshida, Y., M. Kiso, H. Ngashimaand T. Goto. Alterations in chemical constituents of tea shoot during its development. Chagyo Kenkyu Hokoku 1996 83 9-16. 

CS102 Suzuki, T. and G. R. Waller. Purine alkaloids of the fruis of Camellia sinensis L. and of Coffea arabica L. during fruit development. Ann Bot (London) 1985 56(4) 537-542. 

---