The effect on the allergen-induced immediate and late bronchoconstriction of theophylline and enprofylline (3-propylxanthine), a new xanthine derivative with negligible ability to antagonize adenosine, was studied in nine patients with asthma. The patients were challenged three times at weekly intervals with the same dose of allergen. FEV1 and SGaw were followed up to 6 hours after challenge. The drugs were administered intravenously. Placebo was always administered on the first occasion. Theophylline and enprofylline were administered on test days 2 and 3 with a double-blind, randomized crossover technique. One hour before the allergen challenge, a loading dose was administered during 60 minutes followed by a constant infusion during 6 hours. The loading infusion was 7.2 mg/kg of theophylline and 2.7 mg/kg of enprofylline. The maintenance dose was 74 mg/hr and 71 mg/hr, respectively. Both theophylline and enprofylline caused a minor initial bronchodilatation. Theophylline and enprofylline slightly but significantly attenuated the immediate bronchoconstricting reaction after allergen inhalation. Theophylline and enprofylline had a significant attenuating effect on the late bronchial reaction. The mean plasma level of theophylline was 0, 10.8, 10.5, and 10.5 mg/L at 0, 1, 4, and 7 hours after the start of the loading infusion, respectively. The corresponding mean plasma levels of enprofylline were 0, 2.6, 2.7, and 2.7 mg/L. Theophylline and enprofylline caused headache in one patient. Two patients developed nausea and vomiting during the enprofylline infusion. The present data suggest that adenosine receptor antagonism may not be the main mode of action of xanthines in inhibiting bronchoconstriction after single dose antigen challenge.