methotrexate vs theophylline
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Side-by-side comparison of methotrexate and theophylline. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
Methotrexate (MTX) Decreases theophylline clearance.
Trexall, Otrexup
Theo-24, Elixophyllin
Methotrexate is a drug that can treat certain cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and other conditions. It works by slowing the growth of cells in the body.
Theophylline is a medicine that helps you breathe easier. It treats the symptoms of asthma and other lung problems.
Methotrexate can treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a type of cancer, in adults and children. It also treats mycosis fungoides, a skin lymphoma, in adults. Additionally, it treats relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma in adults. For non-cancer conditions, it treats rheumatoid arthritis in adults, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) in children, and severe psoriasis in adults.
Theophylline treats the symptoms of long-term asthma and other lung diseases. These include emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which make it hard to breathe. This medicine helps to open up your airways so you can breathe easier.
Methotrexate blocks an enzyme called dihydrofolate reductase. This enzyme is needed for cells to grow and multiply. By blocking this enzyme, methotrexate slows down the growth of cells, especially cancer cells and cells that cause inflammation in arthritis and psoriasis.
Theophylline is a bronchodilator. It works by relaxing the muscles in your airways. This allows more air to flow in and out of your lungs.
- • Mouth sores
- • Nausea
- • Abdominal pain
- • Changes in liver tests
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Headache
- • Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- Rheumatoid Arthritis 38,053
- Arthralgia 36,283
- Pain 35,413
- Fatigue 29,061
- Nausea 24,009
- Dyspnoea 2,273
- Asthma 1,942
- Pneumonia 1,318
- Wheezing 1,306
- Vomiting 1,101
Methotrexate can cause serious harm to an unborn baby, including death. If you are pregnant, you should not take this medicine for non-cancer conditions. If you are taking it for cancer, talk to your doctor about the risks. This medicine can also cause severe allergic reactions and other serious side effects that can be life-threatening. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any signs of infection, lung problems, or kidney problems.
If your theophylline levels get too high in your blood, it can cause serious side effects. These include severe vomiting, irregular heartbeats, and seizures. These can be life-threatening.
Methotrexate can cause birth defects or fetal death if taken during pregnancy for non-cancer conditions. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, talk to your doctor. Do not breastfeed while taking methotrexate, as it can pass into breast milk and harm your baby.
It is not known if theophylline can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if theophylline passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Also Compare, Nearby Drugs
Compare methotrexate with
How to Read This methotrexate vs theophylline Comparison
methotrexate is classified in the Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug (DMARD) drug class, while theophylline sits within the Methylxanthine Bronchodilator class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, methotrexate has 162,819 submissions while theophylline has 7,940. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to methotrexate slows down how quickly your body removes theophylline. this can lead to higher levels of theophylline building up in your blood.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for methotrexate or theophylline.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.