Parasympathomimetic drug

A parasympathomimetic drug, sometimes called a cholinomimetic drug^[1] or cholinergic receptor stimulating agent,^[2] is a substance that stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS).^[3]^[2] These chemicals are also called cholinergic drugs because acetylcholine (ACh) is the neurotransmitter used by the PSNS.^[1]^[4] Chemicals in this family can act either directly by stimulating the nicotinic or muscarinic receptors (thus mimicking acetylcholine), or indirectly by inhibiting cholinesterase, promoting acetylcholine release, or other mechanisms.^[5] Common uses of parasympathomimetics include glaucoma, Sjögren syndrome and underactive bladder.^[6]

Some chemical weapons such as sarin or VX, non-lethal riot control agents such as tear gas, and insecticides such as diazinon fall into this category.

^ ^a ^b Dowd, Frank (2017). Pharmacology and therapeutics for dentistry: Chapter 6 - Cholinergic Agonists and Muscarinic Receptor Antagonists. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier. pp. 82–97. ISBN 978-0-323-39307-2. OCLC 958121223.
^ ^a ^b Forrester, John V.; Dick, Andrew D.; McMenamin, Paul G.; Roberts, Fiona; Pearlman, Eric (2016). "General and ocular pharmacology". The Eye. Elsevier. pp. 338–369.e1. doi:10.1016/b978-0-7020-5554-6.00006-x. ISBN 978-0-7020-5554-6. Parasympathomimetics are a group of drugs that act either by directly stimulating the muscarinic receptor, for example pilocarpine, or by inhibiting the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which hydrolyses the acetylcholine in the synapse.
^ "Dorlands Medical Dictionary:parasympathomimetic". Archived from the original on 2009-07-26.
^ Parasympathomimetics
^ Brenner, G. M. (2000). Pharmacology. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders Company. ISBN 0-7216-7757-6
^ Moro, Christian; Phelps, Charlotte; Veer, Vineesha; Clark, Justin; Glasziou, Paul; Tikkinen, Kari A. O.; Scott, Anna M. (2021-11-24). "The effectiveness of parasympathomimetics for treating underactive bladder: A systematic review and meta-analysis". Neurourology and Urodynamics. 41 (1): 127–139. doi:10.1002/nau.24839. ISSN 1520-6777. PMID 34816481. S2CID 244530010.