7-Methylxanthine

{{short description|Chemical compound}}

{{Infobox drug

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| image = 7-methylxanthine.svg

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| CAS_number = 552-62-5

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| PubChem = 68374

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| DrugBank =

| ChemSpiderID = 61660

| UNII = E9M81NJM6G

| KEGG = C16353

| ChEBI = 48991

| ChEMBL = 321248

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| synonyms = 7-MX; 7-Methylxanthin; Heteroxanthin; Heteroxanthine; NSC-7861

| IUPAC_name = 7-methyl-3H-purine-2,6-dione

| C=6 | H=6 | N=4 | O=2

| SMILES = CN1C=NC2=C1C(=O)NC(=O)N2

| StdInChI = 1S/C6H6N4O2/c1-10-2-7-4-3(10)5(11)9-6(12)8-4/h2H,1H3,(H2,8,9,11,12)

| StdInChIKey = PFWLFWPASULGAN-UHFFFAOYSA-N

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7-Methylxanthine (7-MX), also known as heteroxanthine, is an active metabolite of caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) and theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine).{{cite web | title=7-Methylxanthine | website=Inxight Drugs | url=https://drugs.ncats.io/drug/E9M81NJM6G | access-date=24 August 2022}}{{cite journal | vauthors = Singh H, Singh H, Latief U, Tung GK, Shahtaghi NR, Sahajpal NS, Kaur I, Jain SK | display-authors = 6 | title = Myopia, its prevalence, current therapeutic strategy and recent developments: A Review | journal = Indian Journal of Ophthalmology | volume = 70 | issue = 8 | pages = 2788–2799 | date = August 2022 | pmid = 35918918 | doi = 10.4103/ijo.IJO_2415_21 | pmc = 9672758 | s2cid = 251281523 | doi-access = free }} It is a non-selective antagonist of the adenosine receptors. The compound may slow the progression of myopia (nearsightedness). It is under investigation for this purpose in children with myopia.

It is shown that systemic treatment with 7-MX appears to be efficient in retarding axial elongation and myopia progression among myopic children. The treatment is safe and without side effects, and may be continued until 18–20 years of age, when age-related cross-linking of collagen prevents further elongation of the eye.{{cite journal | vauthors = Trier K, Munk Ribel-Madsen S, Cui D, Brøgger Christensen S | title = Systemic 7-methylxanthine in retarding axial eye growth and myopia progression: a 36-month pilot study | journal = Journal of Ocular Biology, Diseases, and Informatics | volume = 1 | issue = 2–4 | pages = 85–93 | date = December 2008 | pmid = 20072638 | pmc = 2802512 | doi = 10.1007/s12177-008-9013-3 }} Additionally, further studies show that oral intake of 7-MX was associated with reduced myopia progression and reduced axial elongation in this sample of myopic children from Denmark. Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine whether the association is causal.{{cite journal | vauthors = Trier K, Cui D, Ribel-Madsen S, Guggenheim J | title = Oral administration of caffeine metabolite 7-methylxanthine is associated with slowed myopia progression in Danish children | journal = The British Journal of Ophthalmology | pages = bjophthalmol–2021–320920 | date = August 2022 | volume = 107 | issue = 10 | pmid = 35995571 | doi = 10.1136/bjo-2021-320920 | s2cid = 251742114 }}