Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
3,589,086,187 visitors served.
forum Join the Word of the Day Mailing List For webmasters
?
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

anticholinesterase

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
anticholinesterase /an·ti·cho·lin·es·ter·ase/ (-ko″lin-es´ter-ās) cholinesterase inhibitor.
an·ti·cho·lin·es·ter·ase (nt-kl-nst-rs, -rz, nt-)
n.
A substance that inhibits the activity of cholinesterases, including acetylcholinesterase.

anticholinesterase
[an′tikol′ənes′tərās]
a drug that inhibits or inactivates the action of acetylcholinesterase. Drugs of this class cause acetylcholine to accumulate at the junctions of various cholinergic nerve fibers and their effector sites or organs, allowing potentially continuous stimulation of cholinergic fibers throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems. Anticholinesterases include physostigmine salicylate, neostigmine, edrophonium, and pyridostigmine. Neostigmine and pyridostigmine are prescribed in the treatment of myasthenia gravis; edrophonium in the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis and the treatment of overdose of curariform drugs. Many agricultural insecticides have been developed from anticholinesterases; these are the highly toxic chemicals called organophosphates. Nerve gases developed as potential chemical warfare agents contain potent, irreversible forms of anticholinesterase.

anticholinesterase [an″te-, an″ti-ko″lin-es´ter-ās]
an agent that inhibits acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine at junctions of cholinergic nerve endings and effector organs or postsynaptic neurons; this permits the accumulation of acetylcholine and increases the stimulation of cholinergic receptors in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Called also cholinesterase inhibitor.

Organophosphate insecticides and chemical-warfare agents (nerve gases) are highly toxic “irreversible” anticholinesterases; “reversible” anticholinesterases such as neostigmine and physostigmine are used for treatment of myasthenia gravis, glaucoma, and smooth muscle atony of the gastrointestinal tract and for termination of the effect of nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents and cholinergic blocking agents. Poisoning by anticholinesterases is treated with atropine and the cholinesterase reactivator pralidoxime.

anticholinesterase (an´tīkō´lines´-trās),
n a drug or chemical that inhibits or inactivates the enzyme cholinesterase, resulting in the actions produced by the accumulation of acetylcholine at cholinergic sites.

anticholinesterase
a drug that inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, thereby potentiating the action of acetylcholine at postsynaptic membrane receptors in the parasympathetic nervous system.

anticholinesterase
Pharmacology An agent–eg, certain nerve gases, which blocks nerve impulses by inhibiting anticholinesterase Examples Insecticides–eg, parathion, and nerve gas agents–eg, sarin, soman, tabun; AChEs can be reversible or irreversible Action Eyes–hyperemia and pupillary constriction, GI tract—↑ GI contractions and secretion of gastric acid


How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Feedback
Add definition
Mentioned in?  References in periodicals archive?   Medical browser?   Full browser?
 
The most common group of toxic chemical nerve agents includes anticholinesterases, which interfere with the regulation of signals passing between neurons.
Ptychopetalum olacoides, a traditional Amazonian "nerve tonic", possesses anticholinesterase activity.
 
 
 
Medical Dictionary
?

Terms of Use | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2012 Farlex, Inc.
Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.