Definitions for xanthineˈzæn θin, -θɪn
Random House Webster's College Dictionary
xan•thineˈzæn θin, -θɪn(n.)
a crystalline, nitrogenous compound, C5H4N4O2, related to uric acid, occurring in urine, blood, and certain animal and vegetable tissues.
Category: Biochemistry
any derivative of this compound.
Category: Biochemistry
Origin of xanthine:
1855–60; < F; see xantho -, -ine2
Princeton's WordNet
xanthine(noun)
crystalline oxidation product of the metabolism of nucleoproteins; precursor of uric acid; found in many organs and in urine
Wiktionary
xanthine(Noun)
Any of a group of alkaloids, that include caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine as well as the parent compound, a precursor of uric acid found in many organs of the body.
U.S. National Library of Medicine
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)
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