Pharmacologic Substance
theophylline

the·o·phyl·line [ thee-uh-fil-een, -in ]
Brand Names:
Elixophyllin; Theo-24
Effect:
Bronchodilation; Inhibition Gastric Acid Secretion; Positive Chronotropy
May Treat:
Apnea;
Asthma;
Bradycardia;
Bronchial Spasm;
Bronchitis;
Pulmonary Emphysema
More Information:
Definitions related to theophylline:
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1,3-dimethylxanthine; methyl xanthine derivative from tea with diuretic, smooth muscle relaxant, bronchial dilation, cardiac and central nervous system stimulant activities.CRISP ThesaurusNational Institutes of Health, 2006
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A drug used to improve breathing in people who are short of breath. It belongs to the family of drugs called bronchodilators or respiratory smooth muscle relaxants.NCI Dictionary of Cancer TermsU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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A methyl xanthine derivative from tea with diuretic, smooth muscle relaxant, bronchial dilation, cardiac and central nervous system stimulant activities. Theophylline inhibits the 3',5'-CYCLIC NUCLEOTIDE PHOSPHODIESTERASE that degrades CYCLIC AMP thus potentiates the actions of agents that act through ADENYLYL CYCLASES and cyclic AMP.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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A natural alkaloid derivative of xanthine isolated from the plants Camellia sinensis and Coffea arabica. Theophylline appears to inhibit phosphodiesterase and prostaglandin production, regulate calcium flux and intracellular calcium distribution, and antagonize adenosine. Physiologically, this agent relaxes bronchial smooth muscle, produces vasodilation (except in cerebral vessels), stimulates the CNS, stimulates cardiac muscle, induces diuresis, and increases gastric acid secretion; it may also suppress inflammation and improve contractility of the diaphragm. (NCI04)NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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Theophylline, alkaloidal drug used in medicine as an antiasthmatic, coronary vasodilator, and diuretic. Theophylline is a xanthine alkaloid, a methylxanthine chemically related to caffeine and theobromine. Along with caffeine, it is an active constituent of tea (Camellia sinensis), but it is...Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
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