Analysis of the content of the diterpenes cafestol and kahweol in coffee brews

doi:10.1016/S0278-6915(96)00123-8

Food and Chemical Toxicology

Volume 35, Issue 6, June 1997, Pages 547-554

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0278-6915(96)00123-8 Get rights and content

Abstract

The diterpenes cafestol and kahweol have been implicated as the components in boiled coffee responsible for its hypercholesterolaemic effects. These particular coffee constituents have also been shown to possess anticarcinogenic effects. A simple and sensitive reverse-phase HPLC method using solid-phase extraction has been developed for the analysis of cafestol and kahweol in coffee brews. This method was used to confirm that the method of coffee brewing is a major determinant of the cup content and hence level of consumption of these diterpenes. Scandinavian-style boiled coffee and Turkish-style coffee contained the highest amounts, equivalent to 7.2 and 5.3 mg cafestol per cup and 7.2 and 5.4 mg kahweol per cup, respectively. In contrast, instant and drip-filtered coffee brews contained negligible amounts of these diterpenes, and espresso coffee contained intermediate amounts, about 1 mg cafestol and 1 mg kahweol per cup. These findings provide an explanation for the hypercholesterolaemic effect previously observed for boiled coffee and Turkish-style coffee, and the lack of effect of instant or drip-filtered coffee brews. This methodology will be of value in more correctly assessing the human exposure to these diterpenes through the consumption of coffee, and hence the potential physiological effects of different brews.

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Research sectionAnalysis of the content of the diterpenes cafestol and kahweol in coffee brews

Abstract

Food and Chemical Toxicology

Metabolism

Oral Surgery

Food and Chemical Toxicology

Food and Chemical Toxicology

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology

Atherosclerosis

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Journal of Lipid Research

The hypercholesterolaemic factor of boiled coffee is retained by a paper filter

Journal of Internal Medicine

The effect on serum cholesterol levels of coffee brewed by filtering or boiling

New England Journal of Medicine

Coffee, tea, tobacco, and cancer of the large bowel

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention

Preparation of cafestol

Coffee, blood pressure and plasma lipids: a randomized controlled trial

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Effects of inducers of drug metabolism on basic hepatic forms of mouse glutathione transferase

Biochemical Journal

Effects of coffee oil on plasma cholesterol in the rat

The chemoprotective effects of cafestol and kahweol: effects on xenobiotic metabolising enzymes

Journal of Cellular Biochemistry

Research section
Analysis of the content of the diterpenes cafestol and kahweol in coffee brews