Midterm II - Topic 19,20,21 Flashcards
19: PHARMACOLOGY OF THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM: 20: PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM: 21: SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
19: PHARMACOLOGY OF THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM:
- SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
- “Fight or flight”.
- Reaction of the body to emergency situations,
- short-term stress.
- Operating adrenaline and noradrenaline.
19: PHARMACOLOGY OF THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM:
* Parasympathetic nervous system:
- “Rest and digest”.
- Regaining health, energy, and nutritional supplies.
- The neurotransmitter will be acetylcholine.
Synthesis of catecholamines:
PRECURSOR = Phenylalanine
L-DOPA = decarboxylated to form Dopamine.
–> This will form Noradrenaline via beta hydroxylation
–> With the transferring of a methyl group,
= forms Adrenaline
(the difference between the two being that noradrenaline is lacking a methyl group).
Synthesis of Acetylcholine:
CONTAINS= quaternary nitrogen + acetate group.
NEED = choline
= Taken up from the synaptic cleft and the acetyl group donor also.
What kind of function will be influenced by the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system?
- PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
If the parasympathetic nervous system/parasympathomimetic is stimulated because it is rest and digest,
- More secretion e.g. gastric, intestinal fluid etc.
- Bowel movement
- constriction of the pupils.
What kind of function will be influenced by the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system?
- SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
Sympathetic nervous system stimulated = almost opposite effect.
- The heart will pump faster (positive chronotropic effect),
- dilation of the pupils,
- lower gastric secretion,
- bowel movement will be limited because you would like to fight.
Parasympathetiic nervous system use…?
CHOLINERGIC TRANSMITTERS
= ACETYL CHOLINE
Sympathetiic nervous system use…?
NORADRENALINE TRANSMITTERS
Peripheral nervous system:
Can be broken up into?
- Somatic nervous system,
- Sympathetic nervous system, and
- Parasympathetic nervous system.
Parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system:
How does it act?
- Pre-ganglion - Transmits Acetylcholine(PS+S nervous system)
- Post-ganglion
- Release NORADRENALINE - SYMPATHETIC NS
- Release ACETYL CHOLINE - PARASYMPATHETIS NS
Acetylcholine - binds to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors however, these two systems will differ because (postganglion)
The noradrenalin will bind to different receptors:
- alpha-1,
- alpha-2,
- beta-1, or
- beta-2 receptors.
The acetylcholine (PS) will bind to Muscarine receptors (postganglionic neurons)
The target organs of the Parasympethetic and sympathetic nervous systems?
- Smooth muscle,
- glands
- cardiac muscle.
PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
- Somatic nervous system:
- Non-depolarising muscle relaxants =
- ATRACURIUM,
- PANCURONIUM,
- VECURONIUM,
- ROCURONIUM etc.
- Mechanisms of action = competitive antagonists of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.
- NO pre-ganglia or ganglion, there is only a post-ganglion which will release acetylcholine.
- The target organ of this nervous system is skeletal muscle.
Somatic Nervous system
Mechanism of action
Competitive antagonists of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.
Somatic nervous system
Ganglions??
NO pre-ganglia or ganglion,
Only post-ganglion - Release ACETYLCHOLINE.
Somatic Nervous system
Target organs
Skeletal muscle.
If you apply the non-depolarising muscle relaxant Curare (Indian poison), can you influence the Parasympathetic nervous system?
- Why?
It will not have any effect on this nervous system.
There are nicotinic receptors but there is a difference in the subunits.
That is why if you add Curare to the NS, the parasympathetic nervous system will not be able to stop it.
You cannot influence this nervous system based on the different subunits. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is a Na+ channel so if the sodium is transported into the cell, depolarisation will occur.
What kind of receptor is Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors
G-protein-coupled receptors.
How does the G-Protein cascade get activated?
Ach binds to the Ach receptors and the G-protein cascade is activated.
How many different Muscarine acetyl subtypes(receprors) exist?
Which can we influence pharmacologically?
5 different subtypes (receptors).
Pharmacologically, we can mainly influence:
- M1
- M2
- M3
What is this?
Fill in blanc spaces
This is a signalling cascade
A = Acetylcholine
B= Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor
C = G-Protein
1= ADENYL CYCLASE
2= PHOSPHOLIPASE C
3= K+ Channels
In which different organs can we find muscarinic receptors?
M1, M2 and M3
M2 in the heart
M1 and M3 in the EYE and many glands and have a connection with VASODILATION
Is the blood vessels innervated by the parasympathetic NS?
How does it achieve vasodilation?
- NOT innervated by the parasympathetic nervous system
- Vasodilation can be achieved via NO (nitrogen oxide).
- NO will dilate the vessels rather than the PS nerve ending.
- This is different in the sympathetic nervous system which does innervate the blood vessels.
What does “SLUDGE” stand for?
“SLUDGE” =
- salivation,
- lacrimation,
- urination,
- digestion,
- gastro-intestinal upset and pain, and
- emesis.
If you stimulate muscarinic receptors (PS NS) what will be the result?
- Bradycardia (negative chronotropic effect i.e. slow down the heart).
- Bronchoconstriction – cannot therapeutically be used.
- Miosis – can therapeutically be used in cases of glaucoma.
- Salivation
- Vomiting, diarrhea – can therapeutically be used for bowel atony..
- Urination – can therapeutically be used for urinary bladder atony.
i.e. we would consider stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system in some cases of treatment.
Drugs acting on the parasympathetic nervous system:
A. Parasympathomimetics: stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system: cholinergic drug =
- acetylcholine,
- parasympathetic stimulants,
- acetylcholine receptor agonists.
- Direct Parasympathomimetics
- Indirect Parasympathomimetics
B. Parasympatholytics:
Drugs acting on the parasympathetic nervous system:
- Pharmacological Effects:
Parasympathomimetics
-
Pharmacological Effects:
1. EYE
- The pupil will be constricted by reducing the intraocular pressure which can be useful in cases of glaucoma.
Parasympathomimetics
Pharmacological Effects:
EYE
In case of KSC - Dry eye disease
- In keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS = dry eye disease i.e. it is an auto-immune disease)
- Lacrimal gland cannot produce enough fluid,
- Apply parasympathomimetics, you can moisturize the eye by increasing lacrimal secretion
Parasympathomimetics
Pharmacological Effects:
EYE
Problems when treating KCS
Auto-immune disease = symptomatic treatment rather than preventative treatment.
If you want to treat KCS, you can diagnose it via the Schirmer test which measures the amount of fluid secreted in the eye.
When it is a low amount = KCS (usually associated with dogs).
What should you treat KCS with?
- In cases of KCS, you can try and add ointments,
- Mainly administer immunosuppressants e.g. glucocorticoids (corneal laceration present or not?),
- CYCLOSPORINE,
- TACROLIMUS, because again, it is an auto-immune disease.
Parasympathomimetics
Pharmacological effect
Heart
- Negative chronotropic effect (slow down the heart). Therapeutically, this will not be made use of.
- There are no inotropic effects – parasympathomimetic drugs do not influence the level of contractions of the heart.
- Vasodilation via NO - nitrogen monoxide (rather than parasympathetic innervation).
Parasympathomimetics
Pharmacological effects
GI- Tract
- Secretion enhanced
-
Peristalsis and the Bowel movement will be increased
- i.e. smooth muscle contraction.
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Glandular hyperfunction
Parasympathomimetics
Pharmacological effects
Respiratory Tract:
- Bronchoconstriction
- increased bronchial secretion
= parasympathomimetics are completely contraindicated in asthmatic cases.
Parasympathomimetics
Pharmacological effects
Urinary Tract:
Useful if you would like to relax the sphincter and constrict the bladder to allow for urination.
Parasympathomimetics
What is Direct parasympathomimetics:
These will directly stimulate the ACh-receptors.
Parasympathomimetics
What are the different drugs used for direct parasympathomimetic
- Acetylcholine:
- Carbachol:
- Bethanechol:
- Methacholine:
- Pilocarpine:
Direct parasympathomimetics:
USAGE OF ACETYLCHOLINE
Acetylcholine:
- Therapeutically, this cannot be used = very short half-life!
- It is non-specific and non-selective.
Direct parasympathomimetics:
USAGE OF CARBACHOL
Carbachol:
- It is old and obsolete.
- Used to treat glaucoma - eye drops.
- Applied in the uterus = remove content in the case of metritis (intrauterine tablet).
- It is non-specific to M-ACh receptors
- Several side effects.
- It used to be used as a laxative in pigs - emesis.
Direct parasympathomimetics:
USAGE OF BETHANECHOL
Bethanechol: (Human).
- M-ACh-specific i.e. it has less side effects.
- Causes the induction of intestinal peristalsis after operations.
- Useful in urinary bladder atony (veterinary use also).
- Spinal trauma = sometimes the urinary bladder cannot function appropriately = Bethanechol= induce urination.
Direct parasympathomimetics:
USAGE OF METHACHOLINE
Methacholine: (Human).
- Theoretical indication & Practical indication.
- M-ACh-specific.
- Theoretically = cardiovascular system for atrial fibrillation
- Practically it is NOT
- Useful in ergot-toxicosis—> gangrene blood vessels
- i.e. serious vasoconstriction.
- Methacholine helps by causing vasodilation.
- i.e. serious vasoconstriction.
Direct parasympathomimetics:
USAGE OF PILOCARPINE
Pilocarpine:
- Natural alkaloid.
- Used in glaucoma
- (miosis can be seen approx. 15 minutes later which lowers the intraocular pressure)
-
KCS
- (increasing the amount of tears from the lacrimal gland).
- Improves salivation mildly.
Parasympathomimetics
What is Indirect parasympathomimetics:
-
Inhibit the ACh-esterase enzyme = lowers the degradation of ACh
- i.e. increases the amount of ACh.
-
Various N-ACh and M-ACh effects & side effects.
- Primarily on the nicotinic-ACh receptors and
- furthermore on the muscarinic-ACh receptors and,
- also on the ACh receptors in the CNS.
INDIRECT PARASYMPATHOMIMETICS
Where can the blockage happen?
The blockage can happen as serine residues.
You can find serine in the ACh-esterase which contains a hydroxyl group.
These agents can block the ACh-esterase because they will esterify the serine OH group.
This means that ACh-esterase will not be available towards ACh binding. These are reversible, this means that it can be controlled i.e. regulated.
INDIRECT PARASYMPATHOMIMETICS
What will happen to the blockage if you add ORGANOPHOSPHATES
-
Bind to ACh-esterase for a longer period.
- NOT GOOD
- Excessive cholinergic sign of tremors and convulsions.
- This depends on the severity of the organophosphate-toxicosis.
- NOT GOOD
-
1st sign of this toxicosis—> binding to ACh-esterases= >
- Increase in ACh = PARASYMPATHOMIMETIC EFFECT
- Salivation,
- Diarrhoea,
- Vomiting,
- if severe,
- tremors,
- convulsions,
- Seizures –> Increase in temperature –> Death.
- Increase in ACh = PARASYMPATHOMIMETIC EFFECT