2. What are adrenergic drugs?
• Adrenergic drugs are medications that stimulate certain nerves in your body.
They do this either by mimicking the action of the chemical messengers
epinephrine and nor epinephrine or by stimulating their release. These drugs
are used in many life-threatening conditions, including cardiac arrest, shock,
asthma attack, or allergic reaction.
Catecholamines
The neurotransmitters of adrenergic system noradrenaline(norepinephrine) and
of substance known as
adrenaline(epinephrine) belongs to a class
catecholamines. They called catecholamines
because they have an alkylamine chain linked
to catechol ring.
3. • Biosynthesis of catecholamines
The biosynthesis of NE and adrenaline starts from the amino acid l-tyrosine.
Adrenergic Neurotransmitters
Biosynthesis of noradrenaline and adrenaline
4.
5.
6. The adrenergic binding site
• The adrenergic receptors are G-protine couple receptors .
• The knowledge of binding site is based on the mutagensis studies and
molecular modelling.
• From these studies it has been proposed that the three of the trans
membrane helices (TM3, TM5, TM6) are involved in the binding site,
• These studies also indicate the importance of an aspartic acid residue (Asp-
113), a phenylalanine residue(phe-290) and two serine residue(ser-207, ser-
204).
• Modelling studies indicates that these groups can bind to adrenaline or
noradrenaline
10. Classification of direct acting alpha adrenergic
agonist
MOA: Adrenergic alpha-agonists are a class of sympathomimetic
agents that selectively stimulates alpha adrenergic receptors. The
alpha-adrenergic receptor has two subclasses α₁ and α₂. Alpha 2
receptors are associated with sympatholytic properties. α
Adrenergic agonists have the opposite function of alpha blockers
Selective agonist
alpha-1 adrenergic receptor
agonist
• Phenylephrine
• Methoxamine
• Midodrine
• Metaraminol
alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist
Clonidine
Xylazine
Guanfacine
Guanabenz
Apraclonidine
Lofexidine
13. Classification of direct acting beta adrenergic
agonist
MOA: β adrenergic receptors are coupled to a stimulatory G protein
of adenylyl cyclase. This enzyme produces the second
messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). In the lung,
cAMP decreases calcium concentrations within cells and
activates protein kinase A. Both of these changes, inactivate myosin
light-chain kinase and activate myosin light-chain phosphatase. In
addition, β2 agonists open large conductance calcium-activated
potassium channels and thereby tend to hyperpolarize airway
smooth muscle cells. The combination of decreased intracellular
calcium, increased membrane potassium conductance, and
decreased myosin light chain kinase activity leads to smooth muscle
relaxation and bronchodilation.
17. Non selective adrenergic agonist
MOA: They can stimulate either of the receptor i.e alpha as well as beta or both.
Drugs Available
•Adrenaline
•Norepinephrine
•Isoprenaline
•Dopamine
Adrenaline Norepinephrine Isoprenaline
Dopamine
18. Mixed acting agonist
Mixed-acting adrenergic agonists are compounds that cause activation of
adrenergic receptors by both direct binding as well as release of
endogenously-stored norepinephrine from presynaptic terminal.
• Ephedrine
• pseudoephedrine
Ephedrine Pseudoephedrine
19. Indirect acting adrenergic agonist
• Indirect-acting adrenergic agonists are compounds that cause activation
of adrenergic receptors by mechanisms other than their direct binding.
MOA for indirect acting
•Indirectly acting adrenergic agonists affect the uptake and storage
mechanisms involved in adrenergic signalling.
•Two uptake mechanisms exist for terminating the action of adrenergic
catecholamines - uptake 1 and uptake 2. Uptake 1 occurs at the
presynaptic nerve terminal to remove the neurotransmitter from the
synapse. Uptake 2 occurs at postsynaptic and peripheral cells to prevent
the neurotransmitter from diffusing laterally.
•There is also enzymatic degradation of the catecholamines by two main
enzymes - monoamine oxidase and catechol-o-methyl transferase.
Respectively, these enzymes oxidise monoamines (including
catecholamines) and methylate the hydroxal groups of the phenyl
moiety of catecholamines. These enzymes can be targeted
pharmacologically.
• Inhibitors of these enzymes act as indirect agonists of adrenergic
receptors as they prolong the action of catecholamines at the receptors.
23. Substitution on either carbon-1or carbon-2yieldsopticalisomers.
(1R,2S)isomersseemcorrect configurationfor direct-acting activity.
The more potent enantiomer has the (1R) configuration.This enantiomer is
typically several 100-fold more potent than the enantiomer with the (1S)
configuration
R2,Substitutionon the-Carbon(Carbon-2).
Methylorethylsubstitutiononthe a-carbonof the ethylamine side
chainreducesdirect agonistactivity at both α-andβ-receptors.
a-Substitution alsosignificantly affects receptorselectivity.
a-methylnorepinephrine,it isthe erythro (1R,2S)isomer
that possessessignificant activity atα2-receptors.
24. Substitution on theAromaticRing
becausetheresorcinolringis nota substrateforCOMT,B-agoniststhat
contain this ring structure tend to havebetter absorption characteristicsanda
longer DOAthan their catechol-containingcounterparts.
replacementofthemeta-OHof the catecholstructure witha
hydroxymethyl groupgivesagentsareselectivebeta-2agonist.
Modificationof thecatecholringcanalsobring about selectivity at α-
receptorsasit appearsthat the catecholmoiety ismoreimportant for α2-
activity than forα1-activity.
25.
26.
27. Adrenergic antagonist
• An adrenergic antagonist is a drug that inhibits the function of adrenergic
receptors.
30. • Alpha receptor antagonist
• MOA: Alpha-blockers, also known as α-blockers or α-
adrenoreceptor antagonists, are a class of pharmacological
agents that act as antagonists on α-adrenergic receptors.
Alpha-1 selective
quinalzoline derivatives
Prazosin
Terazosin
Doxazosin
Silodosin
Alfuzosin
Tamsulosin
Prazosin Terazosin
Doxazosin
Tamsulosin
Alfuzosin
Silodosin
NEWER DRUGS
40. Non Selective: antagonise action of both beta 1 and beta-2 generally used
as beta 2 blockers
•Propanolol
•Bucindolol
•Carteolol
•Carvedilol
•Labetalol
•Nadolol
•Oxprenolol
•Penbutolol
•Pindolol
Beta receptor antagonist
Propranolol Bucindolol
Carteolol Carvedilol