methylxanthine
drug
Quick Summary
Methylxanthines are a group of mild stimulant drugs that occur naturally in plants and have been used for centuries. The most common methylxanthines are caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine.1
- Caffeine is the active ingredient in coffee, tea, and cola beverages.1
- Theobromine is found in cocoa.1
- Theophylline is used to treat asthma due to its ability to relax the airways.1
Unlike synthetically manufactured stimulants like amphetamines, methylxanthines are milder. They are derivatives of xanthine, a purine base.12
Summary created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.