Cholinergic

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A receptor is cholinergic if it uses acetylcholine as its neurotransmitter.^[1]

Cholinergic means related to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine,^[2] and is typically used in a neurological perspective. The parasympathetic nervous system is entirely cholinergic. Neuromuscular junctions, preganglionic neurons of the sympathetic nervous system, the basal forebrain, and brain stem complexes are also cholinergic. In addition, the receptor for the merocrine sweat glands are also cholinergic since acetylocholine is released from post ganglionic sympathetic neurons.

A substance is cholinergic if it is capable of producing, altering, or releasing acetylcholine ("indirect-acting") or mimicking its behaviour at one or more of the body's acetylcholine receptor types ("direct-acting").

[edit] Cholinergic drug

A cholinergic drug, also known as a cholinergic agent, cholinergic agonist,^[3] or a parasympathomimetic drug,^[4] is any drug that functions to enhance the effects mediated by acetylcholine in the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system, or both. These include acetylcholine's precursors and cofactors, acetylcholine receptor agonists and cholinergic enzymes:

• acetylcholine receptor agonists
  • muscarine (muscarinic receptors)
  • pilocarpine (M3 receptors)
  • nicotine (nicotinic receptors)
  • suxamethonium (muscle type receptors)
• cholinesterase inhibitors
  • physostigmine
  • neostigmine

[edit] See also

• Dopaminergic
• GABAergic
• Nootropic
• Serotonergic
• Glutaminergic

[edit] References

v • d • e Receptor agonists, antagonists, and reuptake inhibitors BA/M 5-HT (serotonin) receptor Serotonin receptor agonist (5-HT4) · Serotonin antagonist (5-HT3) · Serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) Dopamine receptor Dopamine agonist · Dopamine antagonist · Dopamine reuptake inhibitor (DRI) Adrenergic receptor Adrenergic agonist (Alpha, Beta 1/2) · Adrenergic antagonist (Alpha 1/2, Beta) · Adrenergic reuptake inhibitor (ARI) Histamine receptor Histamine agonist · Histamine antagonist (H1, H2, H3) AA GABA receptor GABA agonist · GABA antagonist · GABA reuptake inhibitor Glutamate receptor NMDA receptor (NMDA receptor antagonist) · AMPA receptor (Ampakine) · Excitatory amino acid agonist · Excitatory amino acid antagonist ANS Acetylcholine receptor Cholinergic (Muscarinic, Nicotinic) · Anticholinergic (Muscarinic, Nicotinic/Ganglionic blocker/Neuromuscular-blocking drugs) · Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor Adrenergic receptor (SANS only—see above for details) PANS Parasympathomimetic (Cholinergic, Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor) · Parasympatholytic (Anticholinergic, Ganglionic blocker) SANS Sympathomimetic (Adrenergic agonist, Monoamine oxidase inhibitor) · Sympatholytic (Adrenergic antagonist, Alpha blocker, Ganglionic blocker) Other RAs Endothelin · Angiotensin II · NK1 · Cannabinoid · Vasopressin

v • d • e Parasympathomimetics / cholinergic agonists / acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (N06DA, N07AA) Direct (at receptor) muscarinic: Muscarine  · Oxotremorine  · M1 (Vedaclidine • Xanomeline)  · M3 (Bethanechol, Pilocarpine, Arecoline, Cevimeline, Aceclidine)  · Methacholine nicotinic: Nicotine (low doses) · Lobeline · Varenicline · Epibatidine  · Dimethylphenylpiperazinium M & N: Acetylcholine/Choline alfoscerate · Carbachol Indirect/AIs (in synapse) Reversible very short acting: Edrophonium carbamates/stigmine: Ambenonium · Rivastigmine · Distigmine · tertiary/CNS (Physostigmine) · quaternary/peripheral (Neostigmine, Pyridostigmine) anti-dementia (Galantamine, Donepezil, Tacrine) Irreversible/ organophosphate ophthalmological (Ecothiopate, Isoflurophate, Demecarium) antiparasitic (Malathion, Metrifonate) chemical warfare (see Nerve agent)