Pharmacology of airway afferent nerve activity.
Afferent nerves in the airways serve to regulate breathing pattern, cough, and airway autonomic neural tone. Pharmacologic agents that influence afferent nerve activity can be subclassified into compounds that modulate activity by indirect means (e.g. bronchial smooth muscle spasmogens) and those that act directly on the nerves. Directly acting agents affect afferent nerve activity by interacting with various ion channels and receptors within the membrane of the afferent terminals. Whether by direct or indirect means, most compounds that enter the airspace will modify afferent nerve activity, and through this action alter airway physiology.
Undem
B J
BJ
Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA. bundem@jhmi.edu
Carr
M J
MJ
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001920:Bradykinin / Q000494:pharmacology; D001980:Bronchi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology; D015777:Eicosanoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006632:Histamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology
D015777:Eicosanoids; D007473:Ion Channels; D012701:Serotonin; D006632:Histamine; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D000109:Acetylcholine; D001920:Bradykinin