Physiology and Pharmacology

The biological properties of narco tine have been reviewed (1). The antitussive activity of narcotine once more was a subject of many papers (259-271) and the question of this property, when compared with that of codeine, still remains unclear. Codeine is said to be superior in this respect to narcotine (272) but, according to other authors (273, 274), narcotine has some advantage over codeine. The antitussive activity of different stereoisomers of narcotine have also been studied (271). Narcotine-V-oxide showed an increased antitussive activity (271, 275, 276) and narcotine resinate was recommended as a long-acting antitussive (277, 278), as were the esters of 6-hydroxymethylnarcotine (279). The phar- 

Inubushi, Y. Tsuda, T. Konita, and S. Matsumoto, Chem. fc Pharm. Bull. Tokyo) 12, 749 (1964) Chem. Ahstr. 61, 9541 (1964). 

Morozumi, Chem. fc Pharm. Bull. (Tokyo) 12, 1072 (1964). 

Morozumi, S. Kodaira, and K. Kuriyama, Tetrahedron Letters p. 1857 (1963). 

Owing to the ready availability of narcotine its effects on the animal organism have been studied extensively, but the observations have not indicated any extensive use in medicine. It is effective neither as a prophylactic nor as a curative in malaria (240). It has only a mild narcotic action (241, 242, 243), and as an analgesic it is much weaker than morphine (244, 245), although it has been recorded that it potentiates the activity of morphine four- to sevenfold (246). The cramps due to the action of cocaine are also augmented by the simultaneous use of narcotine. It does not lower the basal metabolic rate appreciably (247), nor does it shorten the induction period in nitrous oxide narcosis (248). Its effect on respiration is one of acceleration (249, 250), and its effect on smooth muscle of the intestine (251-254), of the bladder (255), of the gall bladder (251, 252, 256, 257), and of the uterus (251, 252, 258-261) is depressive, while the amplitude of the peristaltic pulses is increased (262-265). 

It has a mitotic action which is very much weaker than that of colchicine (273), but the growth of wheat seedlings is inhibited (274, 275, 276). 

It should be noted that the claim that narcotine and its des-O-methyl derivatives have antiscorbutic action (105, 106, 277-284), has been repeatedly denied (102, 103, 161, 285-294). 

Narcotoline is similar to but weaker than narcotine in its effects. 

Hydrastine resembles strychnine in some of its responses (295), producing convulsions in the frog which may be followed by paralysis. Unlike narcotine, which is a depressor, hydrastine has a pressor effect (296, 297, 298). It is more toxic than narcotine (296) or morphine (299), has a paralytic action on intestines (296, 300), and inhibits the contraction of smooth muscles (251, 252, 254, 301). It is strongly antagonistic to adrenaline, totally suppressing the renal vasoconstriction due to small doses of the latter (302-305). It is slightly antispasmodic (306) and has a mild sedative effect on respiration by diminishing the amplitude and frequency (307). 

39 One of the first scholars to write about sensitivity to pain (nociception) was Ren Descartes (1596-1650). His book Traite de I homme ( Treatise of Man ) was only published posthumously, out of fear of the inquisition. 

Experience ofpain is the most frequent symptom of a noxa (illness, injury, damage or strong irrritation Latin, noxa harm). [72-74] Pain has both, a warning and a protective function (Fig. 5.39 and Fig. 5.40). Those areas sensitive to pain are the entire outer skin, a large part of the mucous membranes and numerous tissues and organs in the body s interior. 

A distinction can be made between visceral pains, which originate in the intestines, and somatic pains, which can be localised on the skin, in muscles, connective tissue, bones and joints. Visceral pain is duU and resembles those reactions, which accompany deep pain. 

Somatic pain is subdivided into deep pain, which often carmot be precisely locahsed and spreads into the surroundings, and surface pain, which can generally be weU localised. The latter may be further subdivided into the initial pain, which normally induces a reflexive flight reaction (like the pulling away of a finger from a hot cooker plate), is easily localised, and rapidly abates after the end of the stimulation, whereas the second type of surface pain appears after a short interval as duU and biuriitigs it is more difficult to localise and subsides only more slowly. 

By acute pain one understands a pain of limited duration, which rapidly subsides after removal of the cause. Chronic pains last longer, as with back pains and tumour pains, or are recurring pains, like migraine-type headaches or heart 

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Lnczak-Szcznrek, A., and Flisinska-Bojanowska, A., 1977. Effect of high-protein diet on glycolytic processes in skeletal muscles of exercising rats. Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 48 119—126. 

Lopa.schnk, G. D., and Gamble, J., 1994. The 1993 Merck Fro.s.st Award. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase an important regulator of fatty acid oxidation in die heart. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 72 1101 — 1109. 

Physiological and pharmacological activity of simple alkyl- and arylpyrazines 97YZ435. 

Bamscotti M, Bucchi A, Di Francesco D (2005) Physiology and pharmacology of the cardiac pacemaker ( fimny ) current. Pharmacol Ther 107 59-79... 

Kanai Y, Hediger MA (2004) The glutamate/neutral amino acid transporter family SLC1 molecular, physiological and pharmacological aspects. Pfliigers Arch 447 469-479... 

Optimal decisions depend, in part, on fully exploiting relevant data and knowledge. This ranges from physiological and pharmacological knowledge... 

Eicosanoids are formed from 20-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids and make up an important group of physiologically and pharmacologically active compounds known as prostaglandins, thromboxanes, leukotrienes, and lipoxins. 

The debut of the selective AChR agonist (+)-anatoxin-a has provided a new tool for AChR physiology and pharmacology. (+)-Anatoxin not only has high affinity for the nicotinic AChR but it also has high selectivity for nicotinic over muscarinic receptors in the mammalian CNS. Recently, the use of (+)-anatoxin-a was essential to the identification of nicotinic receptors on cultured neurons (4), We are studying the features which allow it to bind with high affinity to the peripheral and central nicotinic receptors and the kinetic effects on receptor conformational... 

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University Sapienza, Piazzale A. Moro,... 

After an overview of neurotransmitter systems and function and a consideration of which substances can be classified as neurotransmitters, section A deals with their release, effects on neuronal excitability and receptor interaction. The synaptic physiology and pharmacology and possible brain function of each neurotransmitter is then covered in some detail (section B). Special attention is given to acetylcholine, glutamate, GABA, noradrenaline, dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and the peptides but the purines, histamine, steroids and nitric oxide are not forgotten and there is a brief overview of appropriate basic pharmacology. 

The cortical cup has been used for many years to monitor changes in transmitter release induced by physiological and pharmacological stimuli (Fig. 4.5). In the past, it was used most commonly to study release of amino acids and acetylcholine. More recently, it has... 

Aston-Jones, G, Shipley, MT, Chouvet, G et al. (1991) Afferent regulation of locus coeruleus neurons anatomy, physiology and pharmacology. Prog. Brain Res. 88 47-73. 

Hall, E.D. and Braughler, J.M. (1989). Central nervous system trauma and stroke. II. Physiological and pharmacological evidence for involvement of oxygen radicals and lipid peroxidation. Free Rad. Biol. Med. 6, 303-313. 

Volkheimer, G. (1977). Petsotption of particles physiology and pharmacology. Adv. Pharmacol. Chemother. 14, 163-187. 

When we use a hormone as a drug, we can give it systemically. It enters into the blood stream and acts physiologically and pharmacologically as it is acting in the body. Contrary, autacoids such as prostaglandins and superoxide dismutase are... 

FI. Faden, A. I., and Holiday, J. W., Naloxone treatment of endotoxin shock Stereospecificity of physiologic and pharmacologic effects in the rat. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 212, 414-417... 

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology University of Southern Denmark Denmark... 

Bland, B. H. (1986). The physiology and pharmacology of hippocampal formation theta rhythms. Prog. Neurobiol. 26, 1-54. 

These drugs inhibit the activity of the principal enzyme involved in the catabolism of a number of physiological and pharmacological monoamines. MAO is bound to the outer membrane of mitochondria and, therefore, will be found in most cells throughout the body. First-generation drugs (Table 12.2) non-selectively inhibit both... 

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