📖 Pharmacology
Benzodiazepines
PharmacologyBenzodiazepines (BZ):
newer; depress CNS, selective anxiolytic effect (no sedative effect); are not general anesthetics (but does produce sedation, stupor) or analgesics
BZ effects:
1. Central: BZs bind GABAA receptors in limbic system (amygdala, septum, hippocampus; involved in emotions) and enhance inhibition of neurons in limbic system (this may produce anxiolytic effects of BZs)
a. GABA receptor: pentameric (α, β, δ, γ subunits)
i. Binding sites: GABA (↑ conductance (G) of Cl-, hyperpolarization, inhibition), barbiturate (↑ GABA effect), benzodiazepine (↑ GABA effect), picrotoxin (block Cl channel)
b. GABA agonists: GABA (binds GABA → Cl influx; have ↑ frequency of Cl channel opening; BZs alone- without GABA don’t affect Cl channel function)
c. Antagonists: bicuculline (competitively blocks GABA binding; ↓ inhibition,→ convulsions; no clinical use), picrotoxin (non-competitively blocks GABA actions, Cl channel → ↓ inhibition → convulsions)
2. Other agents at BZ receptor:
a. Agonists: zolpidem (acts at BZ receptor to produce pharmacological actions)
b. Inverse agonists: β-carbolines (produce opposite effects at BZ binding site-- ↓ Cl conductance; no therapeutic uses since → anxiety, irritability, agitation, delirium, convulsions)
3. Antagonists: flumazenil (block agonists and inverse agonists, have no biological effects themselves; can precipitate withdrawal in dependent people)
Metabolism: many BZs have very long action (since metabolism is slow); drugs have active metabolites
2 major reactions: demethylation and hydroxylation (both very slow reactions)
Fast reaction: glucuronidation and urinary excretion
Plasma half life: long (for treating anxiety, withdrawal, muscle relaxants), intermediate (insomnia, anxiety), short (insomnia), ultra-short (<2hrs; pre-anesthetic medication)
Acute toxicity: very high therapeutic index and OD usually not life threatening (rarely see coma or death)
Treatment: support respiration, BP, gastric lavage, give antagonist (e.g., glumazenil; quickly reverses BD-induced respiratory depression)
Tolerance: types include pharmacodynamic (down-regulation of CNS response due to presence of drug; this is probably the mechanism by which tolerance develops), cross-tolerance (with other BZ and CNS depressants like EtOH and BARBS), acquisition of tolerance (tolerance develops fastest in anticonvulsant > sedation >> muscle relaxant > antianxiety; means people can take BZs for long time for antianxiety without → tolerance)
Physical dependence: low abuse potential (no buz) but physical/psychological dependence may occur; physical dependence present when withdrawal symptoms occur (mild = anxiety, insomnia, irritability, bad dreams, tremors, anorexia; severe = agitation, depression, panic, paranoia, muscle twitches, convulsions)
Drug interactions: minimally induce liver enzymes so few interactions; see additive CNS depressant effects (can be severe and → coma and death if BZs taken with other CNS depressants like ethanol)
Local Anesthetics
PharmacologyLocal Anesthetics
1. Procaine (Novocaine)
a) Classic Ester type agent, first synthetic injectable local anesthetic.
b) Slow onset and short duration of action
2. Tetracaine (Pontocaine)
a) Ester type agent--ten times as potent and toxic as procaine.
b) Slow onset but long duration of action.
c) Available in injectable and topical applications.
3. Propoxycaine (Ravocaine)
a) Ester type agent–five times as potent and toxic as procaine.
b) Often combined with procaine to increase duration of action.
4. Lidocaine (Xylocaine)
a) Versatile widely used amide type agent.
b) Two - three times as potent and toxic as procaine.
c) Rapid onset and relatively long duration of action.
d) Good agent for topical application.
5. Mepivacaine (Carbocaine)
a) Amide type agent similar to lidocaine.
b) Without vasoconstrictor has only short duration of action.
6. Prilocaine (Citanest)
a) Amide type agent — less potent than lidocaine.
b) Without vasoconstrictor has only short duration of action.
c) Metabolized to o-toluidine which can cause methemoglobinemia — significant only with large doses of prilocaine.
d) Higher incidences of paresthesia reported with 4 % preparation
7. Bupivacaine (Marcaine)
a) Amide type agent of high potency and toxicity.
b) Rapid onset and very long duration of action even without vasoconstrictor.
8. Articaine (Septocaine)
a) Amide type agent
b) Only amide-type local anesthetic that contains an ester group, therefore metabolized both in the liver and plasma.
c) Approved by the FDA in 2000
d) Evidence points to improved diffusion through hard and soft tissues as compared to other local anesthetics.
e) Reports of a higher incidence of paresthesia, presumably due to the 4% concentration
f) Not recommended for use in children under 4 years of age
Distal (Potassium Sparing) Diuretics
PharmacologyDistal (Potassium Sparing) Diuretics
Agents:
spironolactone
triamterene
Mechanism of action
Inhibition of Na/K exchange at aldosterone dependent distal tubular site
Spironolactone - competes with aldosterone for regulatory site
Triamterene - decreases activity of pump directly
• Either mechanism decreases potassium wasting
• Either mechanism produces poor diuresis (when used alone)
o relatively unimportant Na recovery site
Diurectic activity increased if:
• sodium load (body) is high
• aldosterone concentrations are high
• sodium load (tubule) is high - secondary to diuresis
Other electrolytes unaffected
Toxicity
• spironolactone may produce adrenal and sex hormone effects with LONG-TERM use
• Both drugs may produce electrolyte imbalance
Drug-Receptor Interactions
PharmacologyDrug-Receptor Interactions
Drug Receptor: any functional macromolecule in a cell to which a drug binds to produce its effects. at receptors, drugs mimic or block the action of the body's own regulatory molecules.
Receptors and Selectivity of Drug Action : If a drug interacts with only one kind of receptor, and if that receptor regulates just a few processes, then the effects of the drug will be limited.
Even though a drug is selective for one type of receptor, it can still produce a variety of effects.
Selectivity does not guarantee safety.
Theories of Drug-Receptor Interaction
- Simple Occupancy Theory: Two factors - The intensity of the response to a drug is proportional to the number of receptors occupied by that drug, and the maximal response will occur when all available receptors have been occupied.
- Modified Occupancy Theory: Assumes that all drugs acting at a particular receptor are identical with respect to the ability to bind to the receptor and the ability to influence receptor function once binding has taken place.
• Affinity: The strength of the attraction between a drug and its receptor. Affinity is reflected in potency. (Drugs with high affinity are very potent).
• Intrinsic Activity: The ability of a drug to activate a receptor following binding. Reflected in the maximal efficacy (drugs with high intrinsic activity have high maximal efficacy).