DOI: 10.36347/sajp

Pages: 383-387

Interaction between food and drugs have profound influence on the success of drug treatment and on the side effect profiles of many drugs. Caffeine is present in coffee, black tea, chocolate, some soft drinks and many over- thecounter medication. Caffeine is most popular psycho stimulant and is consumed worldwide. It is capable of interacting with dopaminergic receptor in the brain and influencing dopamine mediated neurobehavioral function. It is implicated in the exacerbation of anxiety, psychosis, and sleep disorder and people with eating disorders often misuse it. It antagonizes adenosine receptors, which may potentiate dopaminergic activity. In psychiatric in patients, caffeine has been found to increase anxiety, hostility and psychotic symptoms. High chronic doses of caffeine, theobromine or theophylline can lead to an exhaustion of the nervous system that may be the basis of subsequent psychosis. Prolonged heavy use of caffeine can cause chronic insomnia that may be the source of psychosis- like symptoms.