👉 xanthine is a type of organic compound that contains one or more oxygen atoms attached to a nitrogen atom. It is one of several types of organic compounds known as chelatins, which are a class of molecules that can bind with specific receptors on cells and tissues in the body. The term "xanthine" was first used by the German chemist Karl von Lauterbach in 1873 to describe an organic compound named "Lauterschwein,"