Veterinary Neuropharmacology

CHOLINERGIC DRUGS

• Drugs that produce actions similar to acetylcholine (ACh) either by interacting with cholinergic receptors or by increasing availability of ACh at the receptor sites.
• The term cholinomimetic indicates an acetylcholine like effect at all cholinergic sites in the body including parasympathetic nerves, somatic nerves, CNS and autonomic ganglia. On the other hand the term parasympathomimetics denotes the action of ACh in the organs innervated by parasymapathetic nervous system (smooth muscle, heart and glands) .
• However, both the terms are used interchangeably and majority of drugs produce action at muscarinic receptor at much lower concentration than that needed to produce nicotinic effects