theobromine

American  

[thee-uh-broh-meen, -min] / ˌθi əˈbroʊ min, -mɪn /

noun

Pharmacology.

1. a white, crystalline, water-insoluble, poisonous powder, C 7 H 8 N 4 O 2 , an isomer of theophylline and lower homologue of caffeine, occurring in tea and obtained from the cacao bean: used chiefly as a diuretic, myocardial stimulant, and vasodilator.

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theobromine British  

/ -mɪn, ˌθiːəʊˈbrəʊmiːn /

noun

1. a white crystalline slightly water-soluble alkaloid that occurs in many plants, such as tea and cacao: formerly used to treat asthma. Formula: C 7 H 8 N 4 O 2 See also xanthine

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theobromine Scientific  

/ thē′ō-brō′mēn′ /

1. A bitter, colorless alkaloid that occurs in the cacao bean, cola nuts, and tea. It is found in chocolate products and used in medicine as a diuretic, vasodilator, and myocardial stimulant. Theobromine is a xanthine and similar in structure to caffeine and theophylline. Chemical formula: C ₇ H ₈ N ₄ O ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of theobromine

1835–45; < New Latin Theobrom ( a ) genus of trees typified by cacao (< Greek theo- theo- + brôma food) + -ine ²

Compare meaning

How does theobromine compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• theobromine vs. caffeine

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

theobromine

The study, published on December 10 in Aging, analyzed how much theobromine was present in participants' blood and compared those levels with biological aging markers measured in blood samples.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 12, 2025

The lack of theobromine also means that unlike chocolate, carob is not toxic to dogs and cats.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 8, 2024

One of these is the compound theobromine, which is also found in tea and contributes towards its bitter taste.

From Salon ● Mar. 28, 2024

Cocoa bean mulch, which contains caffeine and theobromine, can cause vomiting and diarrhea, among other issues.

From Washington Post ● May 4, 2022

Both theobromine and caffeine, its methyl derivative, have been made from xanthine, which itself can be formed from guanine, a constituent of guano.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 415, December 15, 1883 by Various