Cafestol and kahweol are two most important diterpenes in coffee oil not only in terms of quantity, but also because of their physiological properties on human health. These components are identified as cholesterol elevating factor in coffee oil as 10 mg of cafestol and kahweol per day can increase the cholesterol level by 5 mg/dl [1]. Inhibition of DNA damage which is induced by procarcinogens such as 7,12 -dimethylbenz[α]anthracene, aflatoxin B1 [2] or enhanced glutathione S-transferase activity, are some positive effects of these components on human health [3]. The coffee diterpenes are mainly esterified with various fatty acids. Up to 14 derivatives of cafestol and 12 of kahweol have been described [4] but the main important components of non-saponifiable fraction of coffee oil are palmitate and linoleate esters of cafestol and kahweol [5]. As diterpenes are so sensitive to temperature and they are decomposed in high degree so HPLC is identified as the most appropriate, sensitive and reliable method for quantitative measurement of these compounds than GC. For analysis of cafestol and kahweol palmitate in espresso coffee, the esters were extracted by diethyl ether followed by solvent evaporation with N2. The residue was redissolved in mobile phase for analysis by HPLC-DAD. Concentration of these components in coffee sample was detected by cafestol and kahweol palmitate calibration curve. In order to determination of total amount of cafestol and kahweol, esters were converted to free forms by saponification procedure and after extraction and evaporation; analysis was carried out by HPLC-DAD.

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