2. Cholinergics & anticholinergics Flashcards
Types of cholinergic receptors
1. Muscarinic: M1: stomach, CNS (nausea and vomiting pathways) M2: heart, CNS M3: lungs, glands, GI tract, CNS M4, M5: CNS
- Nicotinic:
N1 or Nm: skeletal muscle
N2 or Nn: ganglion, CNS
Common adverse effects of cholinergic agonists
diarrhoea, diaphoresis, miosis, nausea, urinary urgency
General contraindications of cholinergic drugs
- asthma (they cause bronchoconstriction)
2. peptic ulcer (they enhance gastric acid secretion)
Types of direct cholinergic drugs
Muscarinic: pilocarpine, bethanechol
Nicotinic: nicotine, varenicline (partial agonist)
Muscarinic & nicotinic: acetylcholine
Does acetylcholine cross membranes or BBB?
No, it is a quaternary ammonium
MOA and uses of pilocarpine
- Alkaloid nonselective muscarinic acetylcholine receptor agonist
- M3 receptor activation
- Treatment of glaucoma (both narrow- and wide-angle) by freeing entrance to Schlemm’ canal for narrow-angle and enhancing tone of the trabecular meshwork for wide-angle
- Treatment of xerostomia (dry mouth) by promoting salivation
Adverse / side effects of pilocarpine
- topical ophthalmic administration → minimal systemic absorption but local stinging and irritation
- oral administration → sweating, blurred vision, and other cholinergic adverse effects + worsens asthma and COPD
MOA and uses of bethanechol
- quaternary choline ester muscarinic acetylcholine receptor agonist (M3)
- GU: increase detrusor tone and decrease outlet resistance of internal sphincter
- GI: increase motility and secretion
- weak agonist at M2 → minimal cardiac effects
- crosses BBB poorly → minimal CNS effects - Treatment of gastric atony by increasing motility and secretion in the GI
- Treatment of urinary retention by increasing detrusor tone and decreasing outlet resistance of internal sphincter
Adverse / side effects of bethanechol
- pulmonary: bronchoconstriction, increase secretions
- GI: nausea, vomiting cramps and diarrhoea
- ophthalmic: miosis
Contraindicated in asthma!
MOA & uses of nicotine
- Nm (neuromuscular) nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist
- Skeletal muscle contraction, fasciculations, spasms
- High dose → depolarising blockade - Nn (neuronal) nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist
- Adrenal medulla: adrenaline release
- Cardiac: increase HR
- Vascular: peripheral vasoconstriction
- GI: increase gut motility, increase secretions
- Carotid bodies: increase RR
- medullary emetic chemoreceptors: nausea & vomiting - Clinical uses: aid to smoking cessation
Adverse / side effects of nicotine
- dependence due to activation of brain dopaminergic reward pathways
- low dose: increase HR, RR, BP, decrease appetite
- high dose: medullary depression, bradycardia, neuromuscular blockade
MOA & uses of varenicline
- partial nicotinic agonist
2. highly effective in smoking cessation
Adverse / side effects of varenicline
associated with psychiatric symptoms, including suicide ideation
Types of indirect cholinergic drugs
- Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors
2. Low does nicotine
MOA of AChE inhibitors
Increase the availability of acetylcholine
Classification of AChE inhibitors
- Reversible
- Short acting: Edrophonium
- Long-acting: Neostigmine, Pyridostigmine, Physostigmine (carbamates) + Donepezil - Irreversible or poorly reversible
- Very long-acting: Sarin, malathion, parathion
MOA and uses of donepezil / physostigmine
- noncovalent acetylcholine esterase inhibitor
- crosses BBB readily (in contrast to neostigmine)
- physostigmine: carbamate AChE inhibitor that is tertiary amine → crosses BBB readily
- clinical use for donepezil → produces modest cognitive improvement → Alzheimer’s disease
- clinical use for physostigmine → antidote for atropine poisoning
Adverse/side effects of donepezil / physostigmine
diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and other common cholinergic side effects