Theophylline, also known as dimethylxanthine, is a
methylxanthine drug used in therapy for
respiratory diseases such as
COPD or
asthma under a variety of brand names. Due to its numerous side effects, these drugs are now rarely used clinically. As a member of the
xanthine family, it bears structural and pharmacological similarity to
caffeine. It is naturally found in
tea, although in trace quantities (~1mg/l), significantly less than therapeutic doses.
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