Dyphylline is 7-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)-theophylline, a white, extremely bitter, amorphous powder that is freely soluble in water and soluble in alcohol. Dyphylline is stable in gastrointestinal fluids over a wide range of pH. Dyphylline is a xanthine derivative with pharmacologic actions similar to theophylline and other members of this class of drugs. Its primary action is that of bronchodilation, but it also exhibits peripheral vasodilatory and other smooth muscle relaxant activity to a lesser degree. The bronchodilatory action of dyphylline, as with other xanthines, is thought to be mediated through competitive inhibition of phosphodiesterase with a resulting increase in cyclic AMP producing relaxation of the bronchial smooth muscle. Dyphylline exerts its bronchodilatory effects directly and, unlike theophylline, is excreted unchanged by the kidneys without being metabolized by the liver. Because of this, dyphylline pharmacokinetics and plasma levels are not influenced by various factors that affect liver function and hepatic enzyme activity, such as smoking, age, congestive heart failure, or concomitant use of drugs which affect liver function.

MERALLURIDE ACID is an organomercuric compound. It was used as a diuretic in a 1:1 mixture with theophylline.

THEODRENALINE, a theophylline derivative, is a cardiac stimulant. A 20:1 mixture of cafedrine and THEODRENALINE (AKRINOR®) is widely used in Germany for the treatment of hypotensive states during anesthesia and in emergency medicine.

There are a few information in the literature about pimephylline nicotinate. The metabolites of this compound were determined in the rats.