title: Alpha2-agonists as analgesic agents.
abstract: It is well known that norepinephrine is involved in the control of pain by modulating pain-related responses through various pathways. alpha(2)-Adrenergic agonists have a well-established analgesic profile and, in the recent years, have found a wider application, in particular as adjunct to anesthetics and analgesics in perioperative settings. This review analyzes the alpha(2)-agonists currently in clinical use, starting from the prototype Clonidine, as well as the most promising and studied molecules. In addition, an overview of the imidazoles, imidazolines, and hydroxyethyl-thioureas derivatives published in both the open and patented literature is presented, providing chemical description and pharmacological data. Finally, the most commonly alpha(2)-agonists used in veterinary medicine are described.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, via Ugo Schiff 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino Firenze, Italy. mariapaola.giovannoni@unifi.it
authors.forename: Maria Paola
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Giovannoni
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ghelardini
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vergelli
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dal Piaz
mesh_terms: D058647:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists; D000700:Analgesics / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003000:Clonidine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D058647:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists; D000700:Analgesics; D003000:Clonidine