8-Chlorotheophylline, also known as 1,3-dimethyl-8-chloroxanthine, is a

stimulant Stimulants (also often referred to as psychostimulants or colloquially as uppers) is an overarching term that covers many drugs including those that increase activity of the central nervous system and the body, drugs that are pleasurable and inv ...

drug A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhala ...

of the

xanthine Xanthine ( or ; archaically xanthic acid; systematic name 3,7-dihydropurine-2,6-dione) is a purine base found in most human body tissues and fluids, as well as in other organisms. Several stimulants are derived from xanthine, including caffein ...

chemical class, with physiological effects similar to

caffeine Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine chemical classification, class. It is mainly recreational drug use, used recreationally as a Nootropic, cognitive enhancer, increasing alertness and attentional perfor ...

. Its main use is in combination (salt) with

diphenhydramine Diphenhydramine (DPH) is an antihistamine and sedative mainly used to treat allergies, insomnia, and symptoms of the common cold. It is also less commonly used for tremor in parkinsonism, and nausea. It is taken by mouth, injected into ...

in the

antiemetic An antiemetic is a drug that is effective against vomiting and nausea. Antiemetics are typically used to treat motion sickness and the side effects of opioid analgesics, general anaesthetics, and chemotherapy directed against cancer. They m ...

dimenhydrinate Dimenhydrinate, sold under the brand name Dramamine, among others, is an over-the-counter drug used to treat motion sickness and nausea. Dimenhydrinate is a theoclate salt composed of diphenhydramine, an ethanolamine derivative, and 8-chloroth ...

(Dramamine).

Diphenhydramine Diphenhydramine (DPH) is an antihistamine and sedative mainly used to treat allergies, insomnia, and symptoms of the common cold. It is also less commonly used for tremor in parkinsonism, and nausea. It is taken by mouth, injected into ...

reduces nausea but causes drowsiness, and the stimulant properties of 8-Chlorotheophylline help reduce that side effect. Despite being classified as a xanthine stimulant, 8-chlorotheophylline can generally not produce any locomotor activity above control in mice and does not appear to cross the blood-brain barrier well. The 8-chloro modification is not selected for pharmacological properties; instead, it was to raise the acidity of the xanthine

amine In chemistry, amines (, ) are compounds and functional groups that contain a basic nitrogen atom with a lone pair. Amines are formally derivatives of ammonia (), wherein one or more hydrogen atoms have been replaced by a substituent ...

group enough to form a co-salt with diphenhydramine.10.1126/science.109.2840.574.a The drug is also sold in combination with

promethazine Promethazine is a first-generation antihistamine, antipsychotic, sedative, and antiemetic used to treat allergies, insomnia, and nausea. It may also help with some symptoms associated with the common cold and may also be used for sedating people ...

, again as a salt.https://www.ebi.ac.uk/chebi/searchId.do?chebiId=8461 "The anti-emetic action of both the hydrochloride and the teoclate (8-chlorotheophylline) salts is used for the prevention of nausea in cases of motion sickness and post-operative vomiting."

References

Xanthines Chloroarenes Adenosine receptor antagonists {{nervous-system-drug-stub