Special pharmacology deals with the study of the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of specific drug groups and medicines of particular significance in clinical practice.
Neurotropic drugs
A considerable section of the special pharmacology deals with drugs affecting nervous regulation of bodily functions. With the help of such drugs it is possible to affect synaptic transmission on different levels of the CNS, as well as afferent and efferent pathways of peripheral innervation.
The classification of neurotropic drugs is based on localization of their action, i.e. whether they act on the peripheral
or the CNS.
Drugs regulating peripheral nervous system functions
Depending on the structural and functional specificities of different components of the reflex arch there are drugs that affect afferent and efferent innervation.
A. Drugs affecting afferent innervation (Chapters 1, 2)
This section unites drugs of inhibitory and stimulating type.
Inhibitory drugs can affect the nervous system in the following ways: a) they can decrease sensitivity of afferent nerve endings; b) they can protect sensory nerve endings from the action of irritant agents; c) they can inhibit excitatory transmission through afferent fibers.
Stimulant drugs selectively excite sensory nerve endings.
In this Section:
1. Drugs decreasing sensitivity of afferent nerve ending or preventing their excitation
2. Drugs stimulating afferent nerve endings
Chapter 1
DRUGS DECREASING SENSITIVITY
OF AFFERENT NERVE ENDINGS
OR PREVENTING THEIR EXCITATION
In this Chapter:
1.1. Local anesthetics
1.2. Astringents 1.2. Coating drugs 1.2. Adsorbents
1.1. LOCAL ANESTHETICS
Local anesthetic1 drugs (anesthetics) cause local sensory loss. First, they eliminate painful sensation and this is why they are mainly used for local pain relief (anesthesia). With deepening anesthesia, temperature and other types of sensation are blocked, with touch and pressure reception being the last to go.