Medicinal Chemistry, 2nd Edition

Chapter 22

Adrenergic Drugs

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Define adrenergic receptors and the drugs acting on them

• Describe the structural requirements of a sympathomimetics acting on α and β subtypes

• Classify sympathomimetics and describe their preparation method

• Describe the importance of specificity of the receptor environment based on optical isomers of ephedrine

• Define sympatholytics and their utility

• Classify sympatholytics, their uses and actions

22.1 INTRODUCTION

Adrenergic drugs are those chemical agents that exert their principal pharmacologic and therapeutic effects by acting at peripheral sites to either enhance or reduce the activity of components (adrenaline) of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system. In general, ...