Theophylline and Lithium Interaction
Drug interaction information between Theophylline and Lithium.
Theophylline and Lithium have a documented minor interaction in FDA labeling.
FDA drug labeling documents a minor-severity interaction between Theophylline and Lithium. This page displays the available source-record category and label text. The category is not an individual risk estimate or medication-combination direction.
How They Interact
Theophylline causes your kidneys to flush lithium out of your body much faster than normal. This lowers the amount of lithium in your blood, making it less effective.
FDA Label Information
Lithium Theophylline increases renal lithium clearance. Lithium dose required to achieve a therapeutic serum concentration increased an average of 60%.
Theophylline Also Interacts With
- Metoprolol major
- Albuterol major
- Omeprazole major
- Amoxicillin major
- Famotidine major
Lithium Also Interacts With
- Amlodipine/Benazepril major
- Risperidone major
- Amiloride moderate
- Amiodarone moderate
- Amlodipine/Valsartan moderate
Frequently Asked Questions
What SPL severity band is on file for Theophylline + Lithium?
Compiled FDA labeling labels this pair minor. That is a source-record field, not an individual medication-combination decision.
Which drug in this pair has the larger labeled-interaction portfolio?
Lithium has 90 labeled pairs on file vs Theophylline's 86. In the minor band specifically: Theophylline has 54 (also Propranolol, Methotrexate, Diazepam, Erythromycin); Lithium has 65 (also Aripiprazole, Asenapine, Canagliflozin, Candesartan).
What mechanism field is on file for Theophylline and Lithium?
Theophylline causes your kidneys to flush lithium out of your body much faster than normal. This lowers the amount of lithium in your blood, making it less effective.
Theophylline carries more major-labeled pairs than Lithium
SPL source-record counts only. This page's band is minor · classes on file: Theophylline (Methylxanthine Bronchodilator); Lithium (Mood Stabilizer).
Theophylline has 27 major-labeled pairs vs Lithium's 2. This page itself is in the minor band, not the major band.
27 major · 5 moderate · 54 minor · 86 total
- Other minor peers for Theophylline
- Propranolol
- Methotrexate
- Diazepam
- Erythromycin
2 major · 23 moderate · 65 minor · 90 total
- Other minor peers for Lithium
- Aripiprazole
- Asenapine
- Canagliflozin
- Candesartan
Sources: FDA Drug Labels (SPL) via openFDA (2026). This is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. This registry does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.