Caffeine citrate
Caffeine citrate, sold under the brand name Cafcit among others, is a medication used to treat a lack of breathing in premature babies. Specifically it is given to babies who are born at less than 35 weeks or weigh less than 2 kilograms (4.4 lb) once other causes are ruled out. It is given by mouth or slow injection into a vein.
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Trade names | Cafcit, Gencebok, Cafnea, others |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
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Routes of administration | By mouth, intravenous (IV) |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.125.472 |
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Formula | C14H18N4O9 |
Molar mass | 386.317 g·mol−1 |
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Side effects can include problems feeding, increased heart rate, low blood sugar, necrotizing enterocolitis, and kidney problems. Testing blood caffeine levels is occasionally recommended. Although it is often referred to as a citric acid salt of caffeine, as implied by its name, caffeine citrate in fact consists of cocrystals of the two components. Caffeine citrate is in the xanthine family of medication. It works by stimulating the respiratory centers in the brain.
Caffeine was discovered in 1819. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. The intravenous form may also be taken by mouth.
In June 2020, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended the approval of Gencebok. It was approved for use in the European Union in August 2020.