Nasal decongestants, dependence

Lion of action. The largest use of this drug, however, depends on its vasoconstricting action phenylephrine is used extensively as a nasal decongestant due to its ability to constrict the blood vessels in mucous tissue on local application. In one published... 

Dahl, A.R. Hadley, W.M. (1983) Formaldehyde prodnction promoted by rat nasal cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenases with nasal decongestants, essences, solvents, air pollutants, nicotine, and cocaine as substrates. Toxicol, appl. Pharmacol, 67, 200-205 Dayal, R., Gescher, A., Harpur, E.S., Pratt, I. Chipman, J.K. (1989) Comparison of the hepa-toxicity in mice and the mutagenicity of three nitroalkanes. Fundam. appl Toxicol, 13, 341-348... 

Dahl AR, Hadley WM. 1983. Formaldehyde production promoted by rat nasal cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenases with nasal decongestants, essences, solvents, air pollutants, nicotine, and cocaine as substrates. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 67 200-205. 

There are major differences in receptor types predominantly expressed in the various vascular beds (Table 9-4). The skin vessels have predominantly receptors and constrict in response to epinephrine and norepinephrine, as do the splanchnic vessels. Vessels in skeletal muscle may constrict or dilate depending on whether a or 13 receptors are activated. The blood vessels of the nasal mucosa express a, receptors, and local vasoconstriction induced by sympathomimetics explains their decongestant action (see Therapeutic Uses of Sympathomimetic Drugs). 

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