Drug Name

Function

Acetylcholine

Selectiv
e
PARASYMPATHETIC
Broken down quickly; short
N, M
N

Nicotine
Muscarine
Carbachol

Target

N
M
N, M

N
Some
N

Bethanechol

Some

Pilocarpine

Some

Agonist

Edrophonium

Neostigmine
Cholinesterase
inhibitor
Pyridostigmine
Physostigmine

Parathion

Organophospha
te
Cholinesterase
Inhibitor

Atropine

Antagonist

term
Can enter CNS to activate NN
Not degraded by
cholinesterase
30-120mins
Relax bladder sphincter
treat urinary retention
Nausea, vomiting, blurred
vision
Topical use for glaucoma
Not degraded by
cholinesterase
Treat urinary retention and
Sjgrens syndrome
Low lipid solubilityX cross
BBBlow CNS
Not degraded by
cholinesterase
Lipid soluble
Eye drop: contract ciliary
muscle, improve drainage,
reduce pressure in glaucoma
Treat Sjgrens syndrome
Constrict pupil, blurred vision
Competitive
5-15 min
Charged, poor lipid solubility
Diagnosis of myasthenia
gravis
Competitive
Orally active
30-120 min
Charged, poor lipid solubility
Treat myasthenia gravis
Salivation, sweating, gastric
secretion
Like neostigmine
3-6 hours
30-120 min
Lipid soluble
Eye drop: contract ciliary
muscle, improve drainage,
reduce pressure in glaucoma
Constrict pupil, blurred vision
Lipid soluble
Phosphorylate active site of
cholinesterase, irreversible
inhibition
Insecticides, nerve gas
7-30 days
Insecticide
t1/2 ~ 2hrs

Ipratropium

M
Antagonist

Scopolamine
(UK: hyoscine)

Oxybutynin

(M1), M2,
M3
M2, M3

Tolterodine
Tubocurarine
Pancuronium

NM

less effective for endogenous

ACh
Quaternary, less lipid soluble
Dilate pupil
saliva, bronchial secretion,
GI motility
heart rate
Treat cholinergic poisoning
Dry mouth, urinary retention,
constipation, tachycardia
Synthetic analog of atropine
Charged
Dilate bronchial muscle
Inhalation, treat asthma,
COPD
Like atropine
More CNS
Treat motion sickness
Orally active
Act on smooth muscle
On M3, relieve bladder
spasm, treat urinary urgency
Anesthesia, muscle relaxant

SYMPATHETIC
,

Adrenaline
(Epinephrine)

Noradrenaline
(Norepinephrine)

Phenylephrine
Methoxamine
Oxymetazoline
Xylometazoline

(1)

Agonist

1, partial
2

Cardiac stimulant
1: +ve inotropic and
chronotropiccardiac
output
Little 2 effect
Systolic and diastolic bp
Counteracts 1 chronotropic
effect
Constrict blood vessel bp
Decongestant
Large dosecentral effect on
2 see clonidine
Centrally acting on CNS
bp
Sedative
Sedative
Enhance anesthesia

Clonidine

Dexmedetomidin
e
Isoproterenol
(Isoprenaline)
Dobutamine

1 , 2

Some

Cardiac output
Sys Dias

1, some
2

Some

cardiac output
small bp
Treat shock and heart failure
Inhalation
Treat asthma, bronchospasm
Relax uterine
muscleprevent premature
labour
Cross BBB
CNS stimulant
Mood elevation, awareness,
appetite
Treat ADHD
CNS stimulant
Local anesthetic
Shorter but more intense
than amphetamine
Competitive
bp
Treat hypertension
Non-competitive, irreversible
Treat pheochromocytoma

Terbutaline
Salbutamol
(Albuterol)

Amphetamine

Catecholamine
release
uptake

Cocaine

Blocks
catecholamine
uptake

Phentolamine
Tolazoline

Phenoxybenzami
ne
Prazosin
Terazosin
Doxazosin

Tamsulosin

1
Antagonist

bp
Longer acting, suitable for
treating hypertension
Selective for prostate muscle
Treat benign prostatic
hypertrophy

Propranolol
Timolol
Metoprolol
Atenolol

1 , 2

Reduce cardiac workload

Prevent asthmatic attack

High dose can block 2