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Theobromine necklace | sterling silver
Theobromine is the bitter methylxanthine alkaloid that gives chocolate its psychoactivity. The molecule of cacao, and the close cousin to caffeine on the same xanthine scaffold. Adenosine antagonist, mild stimulant, vasodilator, and the reason chocolate kills dogs. Worn here as a 24 mm sterling silver pendant.
The Chemistry of Theobromine
Theobromine is 3,7-dimethylxanthine, structurally one methyl group away from caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine). The molecule was first isolated from cacao beans by the Russian chemist Alexander Voskresensky in 1841 and named for Theobroma cacao, the genus name meaning "food of the gods" in Greek. Pharmacologically theobromine antagonises adenosine A1 and A2 receptors, producing a mild stimulant effect, and inhibits phosphodiesterases, which raises intracellular cAMP and contributes to smooth muscle relaxation, vasodilation, and a mild diuretic action. Theobromine sodium salicylate, marketed as Diuretin in the late 1800s, was one of the first clinically used vasodilators. The molecule is famously toxic to dogs because canine metabolism clears it with a half-life of around seventeen hours, against around seven hours in humans, allowing tissue concentrations to reach toxic levels from doses humans tolerate easily.
Who Will Recognise It
- chemists working on alkaloid pharmacology or natural-product chemistry
- chocolate scientists, food technologists, and cacao-industry researchers
- veterinary toxicologists and small-animal clinicians who handle chocolate poisoning
- pharmacology students learning the methylxanthine class
For someone who reaches for theobromine when the conversation is about cacao chemistry or about why the dog cannot share the bar, rather than about general chocolate enthusiasm.
Explore Related Molecules Jewelry
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FAQ
How is theobromine different from caffeine?
One methyl group. Caffeine is 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine. Theobromine is 3,7-dimethylxanthine, missing the N1 methyl. The structural difference produces a milder stimulant profile (theobromine is less wakeful but more vasodilatory than caffeine), a longer half-life, and different ratios of action across the adenosine receptor subtypes. Cacao contains both, in varying ratios depending on the cacao variety and processing, with theobromine usually the dominant methylxanthine in dark chocolate.
Why is theobromine dangerous to dogs?
Because dogs metabolise the molecule slowly. Human plasma half-life is around seven hours, dog plasma half-life is around seventeen hours. The same dose that produces no measurable effect in a human accumulates in dogs to concentrations that hit cardiac and central nervous system targets. Cats are similar but rarely seek out chocolate. Toxic dose in dogs is roughly 100-150 mg of theobromine per kilogram of body weight, which a determined dog can reach with dark chocolate or baker's chocolate at small body sizes. Veterinary toxicology references the concentration in the chocolate type and the dog's weight when triaging exposure.
What size is the pendant and what chain comes with it?
925 sterling silver, 24 mm pendant on a 45 cm sterling silver chain (ø 1.8 mm) with a 5 cm extender. Nickel-free and hypoallergenic. Free worldwide DHL Express in 1-5 business days, with all import duties and taxes covered. 30-day “Love It or Return It” returns.
Is there a gold version?
Yes. The same theobromine pendant is available in 18K gold vermeil at the same 24 mm size and chain length. Silver tends to suit daily wear and lab use. Gold tends to suit a chocolate-pharmacology graduation, food-science career milestone, or pharmacology-of-everyday-life occasion.
Molecules
Delve into the hidden elegance of science with our meticulously crafted jewelry, inspired by the intricate structures of chemical molecules. Each piece serves as a tactile tribute to the building blocks of life and matter, capturing the allure of atoms and bonds in precious metals. A harmonious fusion of art and science, these creations are more than mere accessories; they're a celebration of the enigmatic beauty that underpins our universe.
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