| Drug Name |
Category |
Mechanism, Indications, Adverse
Effects, Unique Properties |
| Acebutolol |
Adrenergic Antagonist
beta-Antagonist, beta1-Selective |
Has partial beta- agonist activity. Local anesthetic
membrane- stabilizing activity.
Cardioselective: safer for use with asthmatics. |
| Acetohexamide |
Diabetes
Sulfonylurea |
Relatively long-acting. |
| Acetylcholine |
Cholinergic Agonist, Direct
Muscarinic
Choline ester |
LOW DOSE: Stimulate NO, vasodilation, reflex
tachycardia
HIGH DOSE: Vasodilation, direct bradycardia.
Extremely short-half life in-vitro due to abundant cholinesterase. |
| Albuterol |
Adrenergic Agonist, Direct
beta2-selective |
Bronchodilator |
| Ambenonium |
Cholinergic Agonist, Indirect
Cholinesterase Inhibitor
Carbamate (Reversible) |
Quaternary ammonium compound, does not enter CNS. Still
has some adverse CNS effects.
Can be used to treat Myasthenia Gravis. |
| Amitriptyline |
Adrenergic Agonist, Indirect
NE-Potentiating Agent
Uptake-I Inhibitor, Tri-Cyclic Antidepressant |
|
| Amphetamine |
Adrenergic Agonist, Indirect
NE-Releasing Agent
Amphetamine |
Promotes release of NE, Dopamine, and serotonin from
CNS neurons. Not a catechol, and not a substrate for MAO or COMT, thus
it is long-lasting. Does not require uptake I. |
| Arecholine |
Cholinergic Agonist, Direct
Muscarinic
Choline ester |
|
| Atenolol |
Adrenergic Antagonist
beta-Antagonist, beta1-Selective |
Cardioselective: safer for use with asthmatics. |
| Atropine |
Cholinergic Antagonist, Direct
Muscarinic Antagonist
3 Amine |
Antidote to organophosphate poisoning, if it has
already been more than a half-hour.
Crosses BBB |
| Atropine Methyl-nitrate |
Cholinergic Antagonist, Direct
Muscarinic Antagonist
4 Amine |
Does not cross BBB |
| Benztropine |
Cholinergic Antagonist, Direct
Muscarinic Antagonist
3 Amine |
Crosses BBB |
| Betamethasone |
Glucocorticoid
Long-acting |
Very potent. No salt-retaining activity. |
| Betaxolol |
Adrenergic Antagonist
beta-Antagonist, beta1-Selective |
Decrease aqueous humour production, used to treat
open-angle glaucoma. Cardioselective: safer for use with asthmatics. |
| Bethanechol |
Cholinergic Agonist, Direct
Muscarinic
Choline ester |
Resistant to cholinesterase, thus it has a longer
half-life than ACh.
Does not cross blood-brain barrier; used in GI and GU tracts. |
| Bitoterol |
Adrenergic Agonist, Direct
beta2-selective |
Bronchodilator. Prodrug is hydrolyzed in the lung by
esterases to its active form, colterol. |
| Botulinum Toxin |
Cholinergic Antagonist, Indirect |
Prevents the release of ACh |
| Bovine Insulin |
Diabetes
Insulin
Short-acting |
Regular insulin, clear solution. Rapid onset and
duration of a few hours. It is taken before meals for its immediate
effects. |
| Bretylium |
Adrenergic Antagonist, Indirect
NE-depleting agent |
Similar to Guanethidine. Also has direct
anti-arrhythmic effects on heart. |
|
| Bromocriptine |
Hormone
Prolactin Antagonist
Dopamine Agonist |
Dopamine agonist ------> suppress Prolactin. Used to
treat hyperprolactinemia. |
| Butoxamine |
Adrenergic Antagonist
beta-Antagonist, beta2-Selective |
The only beta2-selective drug. No current
therapeutic use. |
| Calcimar |
Hormone
Calcium-regulation |
Calcitonin obtained from salmon. |
| Calcitriol (Vitamin-D) |
Hormone
Calcium-regulation |
Used to treat Rickets, Hypoparath yroidism,
Osteomalacia. |
| Carbachol |
Cholinergic Agonist, Direct
Muscarinic
Choline ester |
Resistant to cholinesterase, thus it has a longer
half-life than ACh. Causes release of endogenous ACh as well as being an
agonist. It does cross BBB.
Direct application in eye: used to treat non-congestive wide-angle
glaucoma. |
| Carbidopa |
Dopamine Antagonist, Indirect
Dopamine-Decarboxylase Inhibitor |
Prevents the formation of Dopamine. |
| Carbimazole |
Hormone
Anti-Thyroid
Thionamide |
Inhibits organification (iodination) steps of Thyroid
synthesis. Therapeutic effect is delayed. |
| Carteolol |
Adrenergic Antagonist
beta-Antagonist, non-selective |
Has partial beta-agonist activity. |
| Chlorp ropamide |
Diabetes
Sulfonylurea |
Very long-acting. |
| Cibacalcin (Calcitonin) |
Hormone
Calcium-regulation |
Used to help treat hyperpara thyroidism, hypercalcemia,
and Paget's Disease (characterized by increased skeletal remodeling).
|
| Clomiphene |
Hormone
Anti-Estrogen |
It is used to stimulate ovulation, but the mechanism is
not completely understood. Proposed mech: blocks estrogen effects on
hypothalamus ------> promote GnRH ------> promotes ovulation. |
| Clonidine |
Adrenergic Agonist, Direct
alpha2-selective |
Prototypical alpha2-Agonist ------> inhibit
sympathetics (and some parasym pathetics). It is an indirect adrenergic
antagonist, as it decreases sympathetic outflow.
Initially it produces a transient hypertension (via alpha2
vascular receptors), followed by prolonged hypotension. |
| Clorgyline |
Adrenergic Agonist, Indirect
NE-Potentiating Agent
MAO Inhibitor |
MAO-A-selective inhibitor. |
| Cocaine |
Adrenergic Agonist, Indirect
NE-Potentiating Agent
Uptake I Inhibitor |
Blocks Uptake I (NE reuptake), thus potentiating the
effects of NE. |
| Corticotropin Releasing Hormone (CRH) |
Hormone
CRH |
|
| Cortisone |
Glucocorticoid
Short-acting |
Some salt-retaining activity (i.e. Aldosterone
cross-reactivity) |
| Cosyntropin (Adrenal-Corticotropin Hormone (ACTH)) |
Hormone
ACTH |
Used Diagnostically to evaluate adrenal
insufficiency. If Cortisol does not respond to exogenous ACTH,
then the problem is primary. |
| Curare (d-Tubocurarine) |
Cholinergic Antagonist, Direct
Nicotinic Blocker
Blocks Neuromuscular Junction |
Prototypical NMJ Antagonist. Causes flaccid paralysis
of skeletal muscle.. It only blocks the NMJ -- not other nicotinic
receptors, and not muscarinic! |
| Cyclopentolate |
Cholinergic Antagonist, Direct
Muscarinic Antagonist
3 Amine |
Crosses BBB |
| Demecarium |
Cholinergic Agonist, Indirect
Cholinesterase Inhibitor
Carbamate (Reversible) |
Quaternary ammonium compound, does not enter CNS.
Can be used in treatment of glaucoma. Longer duration of action. |
| Demulen |
Contraceptive
Combined Oral Contraceptive |
Ethinyl estradiol + ethynodiol diacetate |
| Deprenyl |
Adrenergic Agonist, Indirect
NE-Potentiating Agent
MAO Inhibitor |
MAO-B-selective inhibitor. |
| Desmopressin |
Hormone
Vasopressin Analogue |
Synthetic Vasopressin analogue. Longer-acting then
Vasopressin. |
| Desoxycor ticosterone acetate |
Mineralocorticoid |
|
| Dexame thasone |
Glucocorticoid
Long-acting |
Very potent. No salt-retaining activity. |
| Diethylstil bestrol |
Contra ceptive
Estrogen |
Non-steroidal, but it has estrogen activity. No longer
used in contraceptives because it can cause reproductive cancers in
daughters born to mothers taking the pill. Today it is only used as a
post-coital ("morning after") contraceptive. |
| Dihydrota chysterol |
Hormone
Calcium-regulation |
Vitamin-D analogue. More effective than Vit-D because
it bypasses renal mechanisms of metabolic control. |
| Dobutamine |
Adrenergic Agonist, Direct
"Cardioselective" (B1) |
Displays some alpha1 effects. Used for
cardiogenic shock and CHF.
Increases the inotropic state, with little effect on heart-rate or
TPR (because it is modulated by alpha1 agonist). |
| Dopamine |
Adrenergic Agonist, Direct |
Important in maintenance of renal blood flow.
Dopamine receptors are found in kidneys. Has Epi-like activity at high
doses. Can be used in cardiogenic shock. Can cause nausea and vomiting |
| Doxazosin |
Adrenergic Antagonist
alpha-Antagonist, alpha1-Selective |
Similar to Prazosin but with longer half-life. |
| Echothiophate |
Cholinergic Agonist, Indirect
Cholinesterase Inhibitor
Organophosphate (Irreversible) |
Can be used in glaucoma treatment. |
| Edrophonium |
Cholinergic Agonist, Indirect
Cholinesterase Inhibitor
Carbamate (Reversible) |
Very short-acting, used in diagnosis of
Myasthenia Gravis. Edrophonium should decrease muscle strength.
If it instead increases muscle strength, then MG is likely. If it makes
matters worse, then suspect a cholinergic crisis
(depolarizing blockade) |
| Ephedrine |
Adrenergic Agonist, Indirect
Mixed-receptor agonist |
Taken orally, long duration of action. Used in asthma,
as nasal decongestant, and sometimes as a pressor.
Has direct effects (alpha1, beta1, beta2),
and indirect effects (potentiate NE release).
Uptake I is required for the indirect effects. Cocaine eliminates
this response. Tachyphylaxis is observed peripherally but not centrally. |
| Epinephrine |
Adrenergic Agonist, Direct
Non-selective (alpha1, alpha2, beta1,
beta2) |
Increase b.p. (alpha1) and direct
tachycardia (beta1). |
| Esmolol |
Adrenergic Antagonist
beta-Antagonist, beta1-Selective |
Unusually short half-life of 10 minutes. Used in
surgery, where it blocks the reflex tachycardia and renin release that
accompanies the use of vasodilators.
Cardioselective: safer for use with asthmatics. |
| Estradiol, Estrone |
Hormone
Estrogen |
Mixture of equine natural estrogens are used in
post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy.
The equine estrogen has one extra double-bond and is hence called a
"conjugated estrogen." |
| Ethinyl Estradiol |
Contraceptive
Estrogen |
Estradiol + Ethinyl at 17-position. Mainstay of oral
contraceptives. |
| Ethynodiol Diacetate |
Contraceptive
Progestin |
Used in combined oral contraceptives. Can have
androgenic side-effects (acne, hirsutism) |
| Fludro cortisone |
Mineralo corticoid |
Used to replace Aldosterone activity in cases of
adrenal insufficiency. |
