Antitussive drugs receptor specificity

The pharmacology of centrally active antitussive drugs is a multifactorial topic that involves not only pharmacological and pharmacokinetic issues but neurophysiology as well. This review will focus on three primary matters related to the brainstem actions of these drugs (1) location of action, (2) identity of neurones affected by the drugs, (3) receptor specificity. There are other informative reviews available (Reynolds et al. 2004). 

Studies to identify the receptor specificity of antitussive drugs have been restricted to animal models. In humans, investigations of the effects of antitussive drugs are usually focused on demonstrating efficacy. Studies in animal models usually involve the use of specific agonists and/or antagonists to demonstrate receptor specificity. 

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