Research progress and clinical application of theophylline drugs

In recent years, a series of studies have shown that low dose theophylline has the function of anti-inflammation and immune regulation, which is associated with the activation of histone deacetylases (HDAC) by theophylline directly. HDAC reverses histone acetylation, which suppresses the expression of inflammatory genes. Theophylline and corticosteroids may have a synergistic effect in suppressing inflammatory gene expression. And so low dose theophylline may improve the responsiveness to corticosteroids and reduces its dosage in patients with corticosteroid resistance or dependent.