Adrenaline discovery

The discovery in 1895 of the hypertensive effect of adrenaline (epinephrine) was initiated by Dr Oliver, a physician in practice, who conducted a series of experiments on his young son into whom he injected an extract of bovine suprarenal. The effect was confirmed in animals and led eventually to the isolation and synthesis of adrenaline in the early 1900s. Many related compounds were examined and, in 1910, Barger and Dale invented the word sympathomimetic and also pointed out that noradrenaline (norepinephrine) mimicked the action of the S5rmpathetic nervous system more closely than did adrenaline. 

After the determination of the structure of the adrenaline molecule (Friedmann, 1904) and the discovery of tyramine in putrified meat and ergot (1) much interest was aroused in compounds of similar chemical constitution. Shortly afterwards, Barger and Dale (2) examined pharmacologically a large series of amines, structurally related to adren aline and tyramine. 

Bennett JW. 2001. Adrenalin and cherry trees. Modem Dmg Discoveries 4( 12) 47-51. 

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