Rubiaceae

The Rubiaceae is a family of flowering plants contains about 13,500 species in about 620 genera, which makes it the fourth-largest angiosperm family. Monoterpenoid alkaloids are characteristic of the Rubiaceae family. Genus Coffea belonging to Family Rubiaceae are perennial shrubs. The trees produce edible drupes that contain two seeds, the so-called “coffee beans”. One of the main constituents of coffee beans is caffeine which is an alkaloid. Caffeine is a very good stimulant of the central nervous system, and increases heart rate and blood pressure, is bronchodilator, diuretic, stimulant for the intestinal peristalsis.