Catecholamines Health Dictionary

Also known as the Irukandji, Carukia is a small, virtually invisible, box-jellyfish with a single tentacle in each corner (carybdeid). The sting may be quite mild, and is sometimes not visible on the skin. However, some 30 minutes after the sting a number of severe systemic symptoms called the Irukandji syndrome occur. The symptoms include severe low back pain, muscle cramps in all 4 limbs and the chest wall, restlessness, anxiety, and a “feeling of potential doom” (often shared by the first aider!). Severe hypertension and pulmonary oedema may occur, which may become life-threatening, although no deaths have been reported to date. The effects are believed to be due to the excess release of catecholamines.... carukia barnesi

Dopamine is one of the CATECHOLAMINES and a precursor of NORADRENALINE. Its highest concentration is in that portion of the brain known as the basal nuclei (see BRAIN) where its function is to convey inhibitory in?uences to the extrapyramidal system. There is good evidence that dopamine de?ciency is one of the causative factors in PARKINSONISM.

Dopamine is given by intravenous infusion as treatment for cardiogenic shock in cardiac infarction or cardiac surgery.... dopamine

Ecstasy refers to a morbid mental condition, associated with an extreme sense of wellbeing, with a feeling of rapture, and temporary loss of self-control. It often presents as a form of religious obsession, with a feeling of direct communication with God, saintly voices and images being perceived. In milder cases the patient may preach as though with a divine mission to help others. Ecstasy may occur in happiness PSYCHOSIS, SCHIZOPHRENIA, certain forms of EPILEPSY, and abnormal personalities.

The term is also a street drug name for an amphetamine derivative, 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine or MDMA, increasingly used as a ‘recreational’ drug. It is classi?ed as a class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. MDMA is structurally similar to endogenous CATECHOLAMINES and produces central and peripheral sympathetic stimulation of alpha and beta ADRENERGIC RECEPTORS. It is taken into nerve terminals by the serotonin transporter and causes release of the NEUROTRANSMITTER substances serotonin and dopamine. Following this, SEROTONIN depletion is prolonged. As serotonin plays a major part in mood control, this leads to the characteristic ‘midweek depression’ experienced by MDMA users.

Several fatalities in young people have been attributed to adverse reactions resulting from MDMA use/abuse and possibly accompanying alcohol consumption. The principal effects are increase in pulse, blood pressure, temperature and respiratory rate. Additional complications such as cardiac ARRHYTHMIA, heatstroke-type syndrome, HYPONATRAEMIA and brain haemorrhage may occur. There is also concern over possible effects on the mental concentration and memory of those using ecstasy.

Management of patients who get to hospital is largely symptomatic and supportive but may include gastric decontamination, and use of DIAZEPAM as the ?rst line of treatment as it reduces central stimulation which may also reduce TACHYCARDIA, HYPERTENSION and PYREXIA.... ecstasy

Stapf.

Family: Rutaceae.

Habitat: Native to tropical America; cultivated in Indian gardens.

Family: Umbelliferae; Apiaceae.

Habitat: Native to the Mediterranean region; cultivated in Uttar Pradesh., Punjab, Assam and Orissa.

English: Anise, Aniseed.

Unani: Anisoon, Baadiyaan-roomi.

Action: Carminative, diuretic, anticholerin, antispasmodic, expectorant. Used for flatulence, dry coughs, whooping cough, bronchitis.

Key application: Internally in dyspeptic complaints; internally and externally in catarrhs of the respiratory tract. (German Commission E, ESCOP, WHO, The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.)

The fruit gave volatile oil consisting mainly of trans-anethole (70-90%), with estragole, anise ketone, anisic acid, beta-caryophyllene, anisaldehyde, linalool. The fruit contained traces of furocoumarins; seeds gave benzoic acid, caffeic acid, containing protein and myristicin. Roots afforded sterols, coumarins and flavone glyco- sides. Aniseed has been demonstrated to increase the mucociliary transport in vitro and to significantly increase liver-regeneration in rats.

Aniseed is also used as a galacta- gogue. This property is thought due to the presence of polymers of anethole, dianethole and photoanethole.

Aqueous extract of roasted aniseed is reported to show cholinomimetic effect on rat blood pressure, rat jejunum and frog rectus abdominis preparations.

Alcoholic extract of aniseeds possesses antimicrobial and fungicidal activity.

Anethole has a structure similar to catecholamines including adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine and to the hallucinogenic compound myris- ticin as well. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)... pilocarpus microphyllus

One of the AMINO ACIDS. Tyrosine is important in the production of CATECHOLAMINES, MELANIN and THYROXINE.... tyrosine

n. dihydroxyphenylalanine: a physiologically important compound that forms an intermediate stage in the synthesis of catecholamines (dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline) from the essential amino acid tyrosine. It also plays a role itself in the functioning of certain parts of the brain. The laevorotatory form, *levodopa, is administered for the treatment of *parkinsonism, in which there is a deficiency of the neurotransmitter *dopamine in the brain.... dopa

a test for *phaeochromocytomas not displaying typically high levels of plasma *catecholamines. An intravenous bolus of *glucagon is administered and the test is positive when there is a threefold increase in plasma catecholamine levels with a consequent rise in blood pressure. The test is now very rarely used due to safer and more sensitive screening tests, combined with modern tumour imaging techniques.... glucagon stimulation test

(VMA) a metabolite of *catecholamines excreted in abnormal amounts in the urine in conditions of excess catecholamine production, such as *phaeochromocytoma. The measurement of VMA levels in a 24-hour urine sample was formerly used as a screening test for this condition, but in the UK it has been largely superseded by the urinary metanephrine test (see metanephrine and normetanephrine).... vanillylmandelic acid

DC.

Synonym: Frangulapurshiana (DC) A. Grey.

Family: Rhamnaceae.

Habitat: Native to Europe; introduced in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Bhutan and the Nilgiris.

English: Buckthorn (related species), Cascara Sagrada, Sacred Bark.

Action: Bark—stool-softener, non-habit forming stimulant laxative, pancreatic stimulant. Used for dyspepsia and habitual constipation.

Key application: In occasional constipation. (German Commission E, ESCOP, WHO.) As a stimulant laxative. (The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.)

The bark contains up to 10% an- thraquinone glycosides, consisting of the cascarosides A, B, C and D, about 70% of the total; other glycosides in minor concentrations include barbaloin, frangulin, chrysanol, glycosides based on emodin, aloe-emodin, emodin- oxanthrone and chrysophanol; dianthrones, and free aglycones.

The cascarosides act on large intestines and stimulate peristalsis. The emodin exhibits antispasmodic activity in isolated rat intestine. Its anti- inflammatory and antiseptic action was also demonstrated.

Rhamnus catharticus Linn., is equated with common Buckthorn, R. purpurea Edgew. with Purple Buckthorn. R. purpurea is found in the Himalayas from Kashmir to Nepal.

Dried bark of Rhamnus frangula L. (Alder Buckthorn) and dried ripe berries of Ramnus catharticus are also used against constipation. (German Commission E, WHO.)

Long term use or excessive amounts may cause albuminuria, haematuria, slowing ofintestinal transit and cardiac irregularities. (Sharon M. Herr.)

Rhamnus triquetra Brandis (known as Gudlei, Fagoraa, Gardhan in Punjab; Gaunt in Garhwal and Kumaon and Katheraa in Jaunsar) is found in the Himalayas from Kashmir to Nepal. The bark is used as a tonic, astringent and deobstruent. Kaempferol, its 7-O- methyl ether and 4'-O-methyl ether, physcion-8 beta-D-glucoside, emodin and its 8 beta-D-glucoside were isolated from the whole plant. Emodin exhibited CNS depressant activity. (Fi- toterapia, 65, 1994.) The plant exhibited significant anti-inflammatory and a nonspecific antispasmodic activity. It induced cardio-stimulation which might be due to the endogenous release of catecholamines.

Rhamnus napalensis Wall. ex M. Laws. (known as Archal in Nepal; Biringa and Birringguli in Assam) is found in eastern Himalayas and the hills and plains ofAssam, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and northern Andhra Pradesh, ascending up to an altitude of 2,000 m. The fruit, pounded and macerated in vinegar, is prescribed for the treatment of herpes.... rhamnus purshiana

(Roxb.) W. & A.

Family: Combretaceae.

Habitat: Throughout the greater part of India, also grown as an avenue tree.

English: Arjun Terminalia.

Ayurvedic: Arjuna, Dhananjaya, Kaakubha, Kakubha, Aartagala, Indravriksha, Paartha, Virataru, Viravriksha.

Unani: Arjun

Siddha: Marudam.

Action: Bark—used as a cardiopro- tective and cardiotonic in angina and poor coronary circulation; as a diuretic in cirrhosis of liver and for symptomatic relief in hypertension; externally in skin diseases, herpes and leukoderma. Powdered bark is prescribed with milk in fractures and contusions with excessive ec- chymosis, also in urinary discharges and strangury. Fruit—deobstruent.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia recommends the powder of the stembark in emaciation, chest diseases, cardiac disorders, lipid imbalances and polyuria.

The bark extract contains acids (ar- junolic acid, terminic acid), glyco- sides (arjunetin, arjunosides I-IV), and strong antioxidants—flavones, tannins, oligomeric proanthocyani- dins.

The bark extract (500 mg every 8 h) given to (58 male) patients with stable angina with provocable ischemia on treadmill exercise, led to improvement in clinical and treadmill exercise parameters as compared to placebo therapy.

These benefits were similar to those observed with isosorbide mononitrate (40 mg/day). (Indian Heart J. 2002, 54(4), 441.)

Arjunolic acid exhibited significant cardiac protection in isoproterenol- induced myocardial necrosis in rats.

T (Mol Cell Biochem, 2001, 224 (1-2), 135-42.) A study demonstrated that the alcoholic extract of Terminalia arjuna bark augmented endogenous antioxi- dant compounds of the rat heart and prevented from isoproterenol-induced myocardial ischemic reperfusion injury. (Life Sci. 2003, 73 (21), 27272739.) Cardiac lipid peroxidation in male Wistar rats was reduced by 38.8% ± 2.6% at a dose of 90 mg/kg, in a study based on aqueous freeze-dried extract ofthebark. (PhytotherRes. 2001,15(6), 510-23.)

Oral administration of bark powder (400 mg/kg body weight) for 10 days produced significant increase in circulating histamine, a little increase in 5-HT, catecholamines and HDL cholesterol, and decrease in total lipid, triglycerides and total cholesterol in normal rats.

Casuarinin, a hydrolyzable tannin, isolated from the bark, exhibited antiherpes virus activity by inhibiting viral attachment and penetration. 50% ethanolic extract of the bark exhibited significant increase in the tensile of the incision wounds.

Dosage: Stembark—3-6 g powder. (API, Vol. II.)... terminalia arjuna

(adrenoreceptor, adrenergic receptor) any cell *receptor that binds with the catecholamines adrenaline or noradrenaline, the neurotransmitters of the *sympathetic nervous system. There are two principal types of adrenoceptor, alpha (?) and beta (?), with various subtypes of each. Alpha adrenoceptors have a slightly higher affinity for adrenaline than for noradrenaline; they can be divided into subtypes ?1 and ?2. ?1-adrenoceptors mediate contraction of smooth muscle; in the walls of arteries, for example, their stimulation causes constriction of arteries and a rise in blood pressure. ?2-adrenoceptors occur in the presynaptic membranes of neurons in the sympathetic nervous system, where they restrict the release of catecholamines from these neurons. Beta adrenoceptors also have two subtypes. ?1-adrenoceptors have an equal affinity for adrenaline and noradrenaline and are found mainly in cardiac muscle; their stimulation causes an increase in heart rate. ?2-adrenoceptors have a slightly higher affinity for adrenaline. They mediate relaxation of smooth muscle in the blood vessels, bronchi, bladder, uterus, and other organs and thus cause widening of the airways and *vasodilatation.

Drugs that stimulate these receptors (alpha agonists and beta agonists) are described as *sympathomimetic. Drugs that block their effects are the *alpha blockers and *beta blockers.... adrenoceptor

n. a drug that interacts with *adrenoceptors in the brain to reduce sympathetic stimulation of the arteries (see catecholamines; noradrenaline). It is occasionally used to treat high blood pressure Common side-effects include drowsiness and dry mouth, and sudden withdrawal may worsen the hypertension.

In the clonidine suppression test, used in the diagnosis of *phaeochromocytoma, clonidine is administered orally and plasma catecholamines sampled then and at hourly intervals for three hours. In normal subjects clonidine suppresses release of catecholamines and plasma levels are reduced, but in people with phaeochromocytoma plasma catecholamines remain elevated.... clonidine