[Progress in the research of caffeine metabolism and its application in vivo].

Caffeine, a kind of alkaloid, extracted from tea and coffee fruit, is commonly used in the treatment of neurasthenia and for coma recovery. The metabolic process of caffeine in vivo is complex. Fifteen kinds of metabolites have been found, and the enzymes involved in the metabolic processes have also been confirmed. The urinary caffeine metabolites ratios are commonly used in the assessment of activities of drug metabolizing enzymes, mainly including CYP1A2, CYP2A6, N-acetyltransferase and xanthine oxidase. Methods for detection of caffeine and its metabolites have been improved steeply. In brief, caffeine has been paid close attention due to its intimate connection with human health as well as its importance in application in scientific research.