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Goodman & Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 12e
| Section II. Neuropharmacology > |
Chapter 10. Anticholinesterase Agents
Sections: Anticholinesterase Agents: Introduction, Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationships, Pharmacological Properties, Toxicology, Therapeutic Uses, BIBLIOGRAPHY.
Topics Discussed: cholinesterase inhibitors.
Excerpt:"The function of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in terminating the action of acetylcholine (ACh) at the junctions of the various cholinergic nerve endings with their effector organs or postsynaptic sites is considered in Chapter 8. Drugs that inhibit AChE are called anticholinesterase (anti-ChE) agents. They cause ACh to accumulate in the vicinity of cholinergic nerve terminals and thus are potentially capable of producing effects equivalent to excessive stimulation of cholinergic receptors throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems. In view of the widespread distribution of cholinergic neurons across animal species, it is not surprising that the anti-ChE agents have received extensive application as toxic agents, in the form of agricultural insecticides, pesticides, and potential chemical warfare "nerve gases." Nevertheless, several compounds of this class are widely used therapeutically; others that cross the blood-brain barrier have been approved or are in clinical trials for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.Physostigmine, also called eserine, is an alkaloid obtained from the Calabar or ordeal bean, the dried, ripe seed of Physostigma venenosum, a perennial plant found in tropical West Africa. The Calabar bean once was used by native..."
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