PHARMACOLOGY 2 and

THERAPEUTICS

Topic One:
Autonomic Nervous System
Learning Objective: Recall and review the principles of ANS
1. To review the organization, functional components, and
physiologic roles of the autonomic nervous system
2. To describe the synthesis, storage, release, reuptake,
and metabolism of the major neurotransmitters in the
autonomic nervous system

ENTERIC
PARASYMPATHETIC
SYMPATHETIC

AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

Criteria

Sympathetic
(Adrenergic)

Parasympathetic
(Cholinergic)

Anatomy

Thoracolumbar

Craniosacral

Length of Neurons

Pre-ganglion: SHORT
Post-ganglion: LONG

Pre-ganglion: LONG
Post-ganglion: SHORT

Location of the
Ganglion

Near the spinal cord

Near the target organ

Neurotransmitter

Pre-ganglion: ACh
Pre-ganglion: ACh
Post-ganglion: NE,
Post-ganglion: ACh
Dopamine, Epinephrine
(Hormone)

Receptors

Ganglion: NN
Target Organ: alpha,
beta, dopa

Ganglion: NN
Target Organ:
Muscarinic, Nicotinic

ANS NEUROTRANSMITTERS
Adrenergic
(Sympathetic)

Cholinergic
(Parasympathetic)

Sympathetic innervation of the adrenal medulla

Ganglionic
neuron

acetylcholine

Ganglionic transmitter

Nicotinic receptor

Adrenal medulla

Epinephrine is released into the blood

Neuroeffector
transmitter

Adrenergic receptor

AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

CHOLINERGIC TRANSMISSION
ADRENERGIC TRANSMISSION

SYNTHESIS

STORAGE

RELEASE
TERMINATION

SYNTHESIS

STORAGE

uptake

uptake

TERMINATION

RELEASE

Biosynthesis & Metabolism of

Catecholamines
Tyrosine

Biosynthesis

NE, Epi

Metabolism

Tyrosine hydroxylase
MAO

DOPA
ALAAD
Dopamine
Dopamine -hydroxylase

(Sympathetic nerve)

NE

Phenylethanolamine-Nmethyltransferase
(Adrenal medulla)
EPI

COMT

Dihydroxymandelic
acid
Normetanephrine (NE);
Metanephrine (Epi)
COMT

MAO

3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-mandelic acid
(VMA)

The Alpha Receptors

Effects of alpha 1 receptor activation

on different tissues and systems

Postsynaptic Alpha1 Receptors on

Vascular Smooth Muscle

Presynaptic Alpha2 Receptors

Alpha2 receptors also exist presynaptically
associated with nerve terminals
Activation of these receptors inhibits the release of
NE
NE acts at presynaptic alpha2 receptors to inhibit its own
release.

Alpha-2 receptor activation

Drugs affecting alpha receptors

The Beta receptors

Effect of Beta1 Receptor Activation

on the Heart

Effect of Beta2 Receptor Activation

on Smooth Muscle
Leads to vascular and
nonvascular smooth
muscle relaxation
Drugs that activate the
beta2 receptor can be;

used to treat as asthma

(by relaxing airway smooth
muscle) and
premature labor (by
relaxing uterine smooth
muscle).

Main effects of receptor activation

Adrenoceptor

Main effects

1-receptor

Vasoconstriction, relaxation of GI smooth

muscle, salivary secretion, and hepatic
glycogenolysis

2 receptor

Inhibition of transmitter release (Ach and

NA), platelet aggregation, contraction of
vascular smooth muscle, inhibition of insulin
release

1-receptor

Increased cardiac rate and force

2 -receptor

Bronchodilatation, vasodilatation, relaxation

of the visceral smooth muscle, hepatic
glycogenolysis and muscle tremor

3-receptor

Lipolysis