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*'''[[Effect::Stimulation]]''' - In terms of its effects on the physical energy levels of the user, theacrine is usually considered to be mildly to moderately energetic and stimulating in a fashion that is considerably weaker in comparison to that of traditional recreational stimulants such as [[amphetamine]], [[MDMA]] or [[cocaine]]. This encourages physical activities such as performing chores and repetitive tasks which would otherwise be boring and strenuous physical activities. The particular style of stimulation which theacrine presents can be described as forced. This means that at higher dosages, it becomes difficult or impossible to keep still as jaw clenching, involuntarily bodily shakes and vibrations become present, resulting in extreme shaking of the entire body, unsteadiness of the hands, and a general lack of motor control.  
*'''[[Effect::Stimulation]]''' - In terms of its effects on the physical energy levels of the user, theacrine is usually considered to be mildly to moderately energetic and stimulating in a fashion that is considerably weaker in comparison to that of traditional recreational stimulants such as [[amphetamine]], [[MDMA]] or [[cocaine]]. This encourages physical activities such as performing chores and repetitive tasks which would otherwise be boring and strenuous physical activities. The particular style of stimulation which theacrine presents can be described as forced. This means that at higher dosages, it becomes difficult or impossible to keep still as jaw clenching, involuntarily bodily shakes and vibrations become present, resulting in extreme shaking of the entire body, unsteadiness of the hands, and a general lack of motor control.  
*'''[[Effect::Pain relief]]''' - Theacrine has pain reducing properties related to its antiinflammatory effects. This is believed to be about that of ibuprofen.<ref>Theacrine, a purine alkaloid with anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20227468</ref>
*'''[[Effect::Pain relief]]''' - Theacrine has pain reducing properties related to its antiinflammatory effects. This is believed to be about that of ibuprofen.<ref>Theacrine, a purine alkaloid with anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20227468</ref>
*'''[[Effect::Frequent urination]]''' - When doses of caffeine equivalent to 2–3 cups of coffee are administered to people who have not consumed caffeine during prior days, they produce a mild increase in urinary output.<ref>Caffeine ingestion and fluid balance: a review | http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-277X.2003.00477.x/abstract</ref> Most people who consume caffeine, however, ingest it daily. Regular users of caffeine have been shown to develop a strong tolerance to the diuretic effect.<ref>Caffeine ingestion and fluid balance: a review | http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-277X.2003.00477.x/abstract</ref>
*'''[[Effect::Vasoconstriction]]''' and '''[[Vasodilation|Vasodilation]]''' - Whilst caffeine acts as a mild vasoconstrictor, its metabolite [[theobromine]] is a vasodilator and these effects are thought to cancel each other out.
*'''[[Effect::Bronchodilation]]''' - Caffeine is an effective bronchodilator. In clinical tests on adults with athsma, at fairly low doses (5mg/kg of body weight), caffeine has been shown to provide a small improvement in lung function, such that it needs to be controlled for in diagnostic tests.<ref>Caffeine for asthma | http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001112.pub2/abstract</ref>
*'''[[Effect::Appetite suppression]]'''
*'''[[Effect::Appetite suppression]]'''
*'''[[Effect::Dizziness]]'''
*'''[[Effect::Increased blood pressure]]'''
*'''[[Effect::Increased heart rate]]'''
*'''[[Effect::Nausea]]''' - This mostly occurs at high doses.
*'''[[Effect::Nausea]]''' - This mostly occurs at high doses.
*'''[[Effect::Tactile enhancement]]'''
*'''[[Effect::Bruxism]]''' - This effect does not occur as consistently as it does on other [[stimulants]] such as [[MDMA]].
*'''[[Effect::Bruxism]]''' - This effect does not occur as consistently as it does on other [[stimulants]] such as [[MDMA]].
*'''[[Effect::Stamina enhancement]]'''


===Cognitive effects===
===Cognitive effects===

Revision as of 21:47, 6 February 2017

Theacrine
Chemical Nomenclature
Common names Theacrine, Temurin, Temorine
Substitutive name 1,3,7,9-Tetramethyluric acid
Systematic name 1,3,7,9-Tetramethylpurine-2,6,8-trione
Class Membership
Psychoactive class Stimulant
Chemical class Xanthine
Routes of Administration

WARNING: Always start with lower doses due to differences between individual body weight, tolerance, metabolism, and personal sensitivity. See responsible use section.



⇣ Oral
Dosage
Threshold 25 mg
Light 50 - 100 mg
Common 100 - 150 mg
Strong 150 - 300 mg
Heavy 300 mg +
Duration
Total 6 - 10 hours
Onset 30 - 60 minutes



⇣ Insufflated
Dosage
Threshold 25 mg
Common 25 - 100 mg
Duration
Total 1 - 3 hours
Onset 5 - 30 minutes






DISCLAIMER: PW's dosage information is gathered from users and resources for educational purposes only. It is not a recommendation and should be verified with other sources for accuracy.

Interactions
Summary sheet: Theacrine

Theacrine, (Teacrine) is an alkaloid molecule which can be seen as a structurally modified version of caffeine, since it appears to be synthesized from caffeine in some plants. It is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid and a stimulant drug that increases activity in the brain and induces temporary improvements including enhanced alertness, wakefulness, and locomotion. Theacrine, compared to caffeine, has a potency of about 2/3rd's of that of caffeine in terms of stimulation alone.

The mechanisms of theacrine parallel that of caffeine for the most part, and while it seems to have a stimulatory effect in research rodents, it occurs at a higher dose (and the exact oral dose where it peaks with theacrine is not known).[1] Similar to caffeine there is a sedative effect at relatively low doses, but where this sedative effect with caffeine is at an impractically low dose with theacrine it is the dose normally consumed by tea; this may underlie why Kucha tea tends to be recommended for relaxation more than stimulation.

Chemistry

Theacrine's chemical structure is structurally similar to that of caffeine. It is synthetic alkaloid with a substituted xanthine core. Xanthine is a substituted purine, which contains two fused rings, a pyrimidine and imidazole. Pryimidine is a 6 membered ring with nitrogen constituents at R1 and R3; imidazole is a 5 membered ring with nitrogen substituents at R1 and R3 . Xanthine contains oxygen groups double-bonded to R2 and R6. Like caffeine, it contains additional methyl substitutions at R1, R3, and R7 of its structure, bound to the open nitrogen groups of the xanthine skeleton. It is an achiral aromatic compound.

Theacrine's chemical name is 1,3,7,9-tetramethyluric acid, in comparison to caffeine's 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, with the only difference in structure being an additional methyl group on the 9-carbon and an additional ketone group, which changes caffeine's xanthine into a uric acid moiety.

Pharmacology

Theacrine acts through several mechanisms, but like caffeine its most important effect is to counteract a substance called adenosine that naturally circulates at high levels throughout the body, and especially in the nervous system. In the brain, adenosine plays a generally protective role, part of which is to reduce neural activity levels. The Theacrine molecule is structurally similar to both caffeine and adenosine, and is thus capable of binding to adenosine receptors on the surface of cells without activating them, thereby acting as a competitive inhibitor.[2]

Along side of this, theacrine is believed to have similar effects on most of the other major neurotransmitters, including dopamine, acetylcholine, serotonin, and, in high doses, on norepinephrine,[3] and to a small extent epinephrine, glutamate, and cortisol.

Subjective effects

The effects listed below are based upon the subjective effects index and personal experiences of PsychonautWiki contributors. The listed effects will rarely (if ever) occur all at once, but heavier dosages will increase the chances and are more likely to induce a full range of effects.

Physical effects

  • Stimulation - In terms of its effects on the physical energy levels of the user, theacrine is usually considered to be mildly to moderately energetic and stimulating in a fashion that is considerably weaker in comparison to that of traditional recreational stimulants such as amphetamine, MDMA or cocaine. This encourages physical activities such as performing chores and repetitive tasks which would otherwise be boring and strenuous physical activities. The particular style of stimulation which theacrine presents can be described as forced. This means that at higher dosages, it becomes difficult or impossible to keep still as jaw clenching, involuntarily bodily shakes and vibrations become present, resulting in extreme shaking of the entire body, unsteadiness of the hands, and a general lack of motor control.
  • Pain relief - Theacrine has pain reducing properties related to its antiinflammatory effects. This is believed to be about that of ibuprofen.[4]
  • Appetite suppression
  • Nausea - This mostly occurs at high doses.
  • Bruxism - This effect does not occur as consistently as it does on other stimulants such as MDMA.

Cognitive effects

The cognitive effects of caffeine can be broken down into several components which progressively intensify proportional to dosage. It contains a large number of typical stimulant cognitive effects. Although negative side effects are usually mild at low to moderate dosages, they become increasingly likely to manifest themselves with higher amounts or extended usage. This particularly holds true during the offset of the experience.

In comparison to caffeine, theacrine's effects tend to confer more benefits to concentration than stimulation at equivalent dosages. [5]

The most prominent of these cognitive effects generally include:

After effects

The effects which occur during the offset of a stimulant experience generally feel negative and uncomfortable in comparison to the effects which occurred during its peak. This is often referred to as a "comedown" and occurs because of neurotransmitter depletion. Its effects commonly include:

Toxicity and harm potential

Caffeine is not known to cause brain damage, and has an extremely low toxicity relative to dose. There are relatively few physical side effects associated with caffeine exposure. Various studies have shown that in reasonable doses in a careful context, it presents no negative cognitive, psychiatric or toxic physical consequences of any sort.

Lethal dosage

Extreme overdose can result in death.[6][7] The median lethal dose (LD50) given orally is 192 milligrams per kilogram in rats. The LD50 of caffeine in humans is dependent on individual sensitivity, but is estimated to be about 150 to 200 milligrams per kilogram of body mass or roughly 80 to 100 cups of coffee for an average adult.[8] Though achieving lethal dose of caffeine would be difficult with regular coffee, it is easier to reach high doses with caffeine pills, and the lethal dose can be lower in individuals whose ability to metabolize caffeine is impaired.

It is strongly recommended that one use harm reduction practices when using this drug.

Tolerance and addiction potential

As with other stimulants, the chronic use of caffeine can be considered moderately addictive with a high potential for abuse and is capable of causing psychological dependence among certain users. When addiction has developed, cravings and withdrawal effects may occur if a person suddenly stops their usage.

Tolerance to many of the effects of caffeine develops with prolonged and repeated use. This results in users having to administer increasingly large doses to achieve the same effects. After that, it takes about 3 - 7 days for the tolerance to be reduced to half and 1 - 2 weeks to be back at baseline (in the absence of further consumption).

Some coffee drinkers develop tolerance to its sleep-disrupting effects, but others apparently do not.[9] Caffeine does not present a cross-tolerance with other common stimulants.

Withdrawal symptoms

Withdrawal symptoms -– including headaches, irritability, inability to concentrate, drowsiness, insomnia, and pain in the stomach, upper body, and joints –- may appear within 12 to 24 hours after discontinuation of caffeine intake, peak at roughly 48 hours, and usually last from 2 to 9 days.[10]Withdrawal headaches are experienced by 52% of people who stopped consuming caffeine for two days after an average of 235 mg caffeine per day prior to that.[11] In prolonged caffeine drinkers, symptoms such as increased depression and anxiety, nausea, vomiting, physical pains and intense desire for caffeine containing beverages are also reported. Peer knowledge, support and interaction may aid withdrawal.

Psychosis

Main article: Stimulant psychosis

There is limited evidence that caffeine, in high doses or when chronically abused, may induce psychosis in normal individuals and worsen pre-existing psychosis in those diagnosed with schizophrenia.[12][13] Caffeine has been shown to potentiate the effects of methamphetamine, which can also induce psychosis.[14][15]

This legality section is a stub.

As such, it may contain incomplete or wrong information. You can help by expanding it.

Caffeine is legal in nearly all parts of the world. Because caffeine is a psychoactive drug however, it is often regulated. For example, in the United States the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) restricts beverages to contain less than 0.02% caffeine [16] unless they are listed as a dietary supplement.[17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Locomotor activation by theacrine, a purine alkaloid structurally similar to caffeine: involvement of adenosine and dopamine receptors. | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22579816
  2. ↑ Caffeine as a psychomotor stimulant: mechanism of action | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00018-003-3269-3
  3. ↑ http://worldofcaffeine.com/caffeine-and-neurotransmitters/
  4. ↑ Theacrine, a purine alkaloid with anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20227468
  5. ↑ Cognitive Performance and Mood Following Ingestion of a Theacrine-Containing Dietary Supplement, Caffeine, or Placebo by Young Men and Women. | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26610558
  6. ↑ Caffeine fatalities—four case reports | http://www.fsijournal.org/article/S0379-0738(03)00417-1/abstract
  7. ↑ Alstott RL, Miller AJ, Forney RB (1973). "Report of a human fatality due to caffeine". Journal of Forensic Science 18 (35).
  8. ↑ Factors Affecting Caffeine Toxicity: A Review of the Literature | http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.1552-4604.1967.tb00034.x/abstract
  9. ↑ Actions of caffeine in the brain with special reference to factors that contribute to its widespread use (PubMed.gov / NCBI) | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10049999
  10. ↑ A critical review of caffeine withdrawal: empirical validation of symptoms and signs, incidence, severity, and associated features | http://webcitation.org/6533BsxXt
  11. ↑ Withdrawal Syndrome after the Double-Blind Cessation of Caffeine Consumption | http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199210153271601
  12. ↑ Caffeine-induced psychosis | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19407709
  13. ↑ Psychosis Following Excessive Ingestion of Energy Drinks in a Patient With Schizophrenia | http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/appi.ajp.2009.09101456
  14. ↑ Caffeine enhances the stimulant effect of methamphetamine | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7862940
  15. ↑ Interaction between caffeine and methamphetamine by means of ambulatory activity in mice. | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2816095
  16. ↑ CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 | http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfCFR/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=182.1180&SearchTerm=caffeine
  17. ↑ Consumer Q&A: Caffeine-Containing Dietary Supplements | http://crnusa.org/caffeine/Q+A.html
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