theophylline

[thee-uh-fil-een, -in]

noun Pharmacology.

a white, crystalline, poisonous alkaloid, C7H8N4O2, an isomer of theobromine, extracted from tea leaves or produced synthetically: used to relieve bronchial spasms, in the treatment of certain heart conditions, and as a diuretic.

Origin of theophylline

1890–95; theo-, irregular combining form representing New Latin thea tea + -phyll + -ine²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for theophylline

Historical Examples of theophylline

Caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine are not found in animal tissues, but are fairly widely distributed in plants.
The Chemistry of Plant Life
Roscoe Wilfred Thatcher

British Dictionary definitions for theophylline

theophylline

noun

a white crystalline slightly water-soluble alkaloid that is an isomer of theobromine: it occurs in plants, such as tea, and is used to treat asthma. Formula: C 7 H 8 N 4 O 2See also xanthine (def. 2)

Word Origin for theophylline

C19: from theo (bromine) + phyllo- + -ine ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

theophylline in Medicine

theophylline

[thē-ŏf′ə-lĭn, thē′ō-fĭl′ēn′]

n.

A colorless crystalline alkaloid derived from tea leaves or made synthetically, used as a cardiac stimulant and diuretic.

theophylline in Science

theophylline

[thē-ŏf′ə-lĭn]

A colorless, crystalline alkaloid derived from tea leaves or made synthetically. It is used in medicine especially as a bronchial dilator. Theophylline is a xanthine that is similar in structure to caffeine and is a structural isomer of theobromine. Chemical formula: C7H8N4O2.