Category: 02. Drugs Acting On Autonomic Nervous System

Pharmacokinetics This drug is poorly absorbed from the gastro intestinal tract and is poorly distributed throughout the body; it cannot pass the blood brain barrier. Pharmacodynamics Just like physostigmine, it inhibits cholinesterase enzyme; but unlike physostigmine, it has a direct nicotinic action on skeletal muscles. Indications Myasthenia gravis Paralytic Ileus Reversal of effect of muscle…

Pharmacokinetics This drug is completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal and is highly distributed throughout the body; it can pass the blood brain barrier. Pharmacodynamics Inhibits the enzyme cholinesterase; therefore, it increases and prolongs the effect of endogenous acetylcholine at the different sites.It has no direct effect on cholinergic receptors. Indications Glaucoma Atropine over dosage

Pharmacokinetics This drug is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and it is not hydrolyzed by cholinesterase enzyme. It is excreted partly destroyed and partly unchanged in the urine. Pharmacodynamics The drug directly stimulates the muscarinic receptors to bring about all the muscarinic effects of acetylcholine. Indications Glaucoma ANTICHOLINESTERASE DRUGS The commonly used cholinesterase inhibitors…

This drug is similar to carbachol in all parameters, i.e., pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and clinical indications; it has a better advantage over carbachol because it has fewer side effects as a result as lack of nicotinic actions. Contra indications to the use of choline esters Bronchial asthma because they may induce bronchial constriction and increase bronchial…

Pharmacokinetics It is completely absorbed from the gastro intestinal tract and is stable towards hydrolysis by cholinesterase enzyme; therefore it can be given both orally and parenteraly with almost similar dosage. Pharmacodynamics It has similar actions to those of acetylcholine with pronounced effects on the gastro intestinal tract and the urinary bladder Indications Glaucoma Retention…

ACETYLCHOLINE is the prototypical cholinergic agent. It functions as a neurotransmitter at all cholinergic sites in the body; because of its unique pharmacokinetic properties, it has never been used in medical therapeutics; the discussion which follows is for academic exercise. Pharmacokinetics Acetylcholine is poorly absorbed from the gastric mucosa; therefore it is ineffective if given…

Cholinergic drugs are also called parasympathomimetics because their effect mimics the effect of parasympathetic nerve stimulation. Administration of these drugs will result in an increase in the parasympathetic activities in the systems innervated by cholinergic nerves. There are two groups of cholinergic drugs: Direct-acting: bind to and activate muscarinic or nicotinic receptors (mostly both) and…

Atenolol is a type of sympatholytic drug. Atenolol is a selective β1 antagonist that is clinically used to treat hypertension, angina and cardiac dysrhythmias. Since atenolol is selective to β1 receptor, it only acts on β1 receptors which are located in the heart. As an antagonist, it opposes the effect of sympathetic nervous system activation. Actions of atenolol include the reduction in myocardial…

Terbutaline is a type of sympathomimetic drug. Terbutaline is a selective β2 receptor agonist that is clinically used to treat asthma. Since terbutaline is an agonist selective to β2 receptors, it activates β2 receptors in smooth muscles and stimulates sympathetic responses, including the increased relaxation of smooth muscles. Relaxation of smooth muscles in bronchi and trachea provides the effect of…

Major medical use of autonomic drugs acting on the sympathetic nervous system includes the treatment of hypertension, hypotension, asthma, heart failure and angina.