The history and developmental advances of beta blockers Essay

The history and developmental advances of beta blockers - Essay Example Drugs exerting antagonistic effects at sympathetic nerve endings are called sympatholytics. Similarly the neurotransmitter of the Parasympathetic system is Acetyl choline. Drugs accordingly are called parasympathomimetics/lytics. Both these neurotransmitters exert their specific action by interacting with target cells on specialized cellular sites called receptors. The original concept of receptor sites was introduced independently by Ehrlich and Langley as early as the late nineteenth century. It is now well established that receptors are part of macromolecular complexes on effector cells with which drug molecules interact to produce effects. Isolation and characterization of receptors has been done by radioligand binding studies. The receptors of the sympathetic system have been broadly classified into ÃŽ ± and ÃŽ ² receptors with further sub classifications. Similarly the receptors of the parasympathetic system have been broadly classified as muscarinic and nicotinic receptors. Me dical interventions have been designed during the course of research in therapy whereby either mimicking or antagonizing the role of these neurotransmitters has been exploited for beneficial effects. ÃŽ ² blockers are the drugs or molecules which block the action of Noradrenalin on the ÃŽ ² receptors which has a very specific role to play in maintaining physiological equilibrium in the body. ÃŽ ² receptors are present throughout specialized cells in the body and play important roles in physiological function. They are predominant in cardiac cells, small coronary vessels, smooth muscles like trachea, bronchi, blood vessels, intestines, vas deferens, liver, diaphragmatic striated muscles, uterus and non innervated tissues like erythrocytes, lymphocytes, mast cells and polymorphonuclear leucocytes. The type of ÃŽ ² receptors in different organs are