Chemicals and Drugs

Xanthine

A purine base found in most body tissues and fluids, certain plants, and some urinary calculi. It is an intermediate in the degradation of adenosine monophosphate to uric acid, being formed by oxidation of hypoxanthine. The methylated xanthine compounds caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline and their derivatives are used in medicine for their bronchodilator effects. (Dorland, 28th ed)

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

A purine base found in most body tissues and fluids, certain plants, and some urinary calculi. It is an intermediate in the degradation of adenosine monophosphate to uric acid, being formed by oxidation of hypoxanthine. The methylated xanthine compounds caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline and their derivatives are used in medicine for their bronchodilator effects. (Dorland, 28th ed)

Chemical Identity

Chemical Information

Molecular Formula
C5H4N4O2
Molecular Weight
152.11 g/mol
CAS Registry No.
69-89-6
IUPAC Name
3,7-dihydropurine-2,6-dione
InChIKey
LRFVTYWOQMYALW-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES
C1=NC2=C(N1)C(=O)NC(=O)N2
MeSH Unique ID
D019820
Source
PubChem CID 1188

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

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MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

24 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings administration & dosage, adverse effects, agonists, analysis, antagonists & inhibitors, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemical synthesis, chemistry, classification, economics, history, immunology, isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, poisoning, radiation effects, standards, supply & distribution, therapeutic use, toxicity, urine.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

a specific chem: do not confuse with XANTHINES or XANTHENES

MeSH Record

History Note

98; use XANTHINE (NM) 1980-97

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Xanthines (1980-1997)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Xanthine. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D019820. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D019820
  2. Xanthine. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanthine
  3. Xanthine. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q50980
  4. Xanthine. In: PubChem Compound. CID 1188. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/1188