Atropine: Difference between revisions
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== '''Atropine''' == | == '''Atropine''' == | ||
=== Introduction and Background === | === Introduction and Background === | ||
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As a plant compound, Atropine has been used for hundreds of years. Its first recorded use was in the 4th year of B.C.E, where it was used to treat wounds, gout, sleeplessnes, and was even thought to be a love potion<ref> Atropine. New World Encyclopedia. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Atropine </ref>. It was also used by Cleopatra and women in the Renaissance era to dilate their pupils to give them a more beautiful appearance<ref> Atropine. New World Encyclopedia. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Atropine </ref>. It has since been studied extensively and, although it is inherently poisonous, it is now used for a wide spectrum of medical ailments. It can be given orally, intravenously, rectally, or subcutaneously (in animals). | As a plant compound, Atropine has been used for hundreds of years. Its first recorded use was in the 4th year of B.C.E, where it was used to treat wounds, gout, sleeplessnes, and was even thought to be a love potion<ref> Atropine. New World Encyclopedia. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Atropine </ref>. It was also used by Cleopatra and women in the Renaissance era to dilate their pupils to give them a more beautiful appearance<ref> Atropine. New World Encyclopedia. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Atropine </ref>. It has since been studied extensively and, although it is inherently poisonous, it is now used for a wide spectrum of medical ailments. It can be given orally, intravenously, rectally, or subcutaneously (in animals). | ||
<applet load='2bg9' size='500' frame='true' align='right' Acetylcholine Receptor='' /> | |||
=== Function and Basic Mechanism === | === Function and Basic Mechanism === | ||
Atropine is part of the tropane group alkaloid family, which includes other substances such as cocaine. Atropine binds to acetylcholine receptors, blocking the action of acetylcholine and therefore suppressing the actions of the parasympathetic nervous system<ref> Atropine. New World Encyclopedia. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Atropine </ref>. The protein structure of an acetycholine receptor can be seen on the right. Although there is not a PDB ID for atropine in complex with the acetylcholine receptor, it is important to understand the structure of the acetylcholine receptor, and subsequently, how atropine and other alkaloids interact with it. One can see that each color in the current model represents a portion of the complex protien, which contains five domains. The <scene name='Sandbox_53/Achr_hydrophobicity/1'>hydrophobic</scene> regions can then be displayed in gray, while the hydrophillic regions appear purple. This shows a transmembrane alpha-helix region in the center of the molecule, a large hydrophillic complex on the exoplasmic face of the protein, and another hydrophillic region on the cystolic face of the protein. By highlighting the <scene name='Sandbox_53/Achr_secondarystructure/1'>secondary structure</scene> of the acetylcholine receptor, it is also easy to see how the secondary structure is concentrated to specific regions of the molecule. Alpha helicies span the majority of the transmembrane and cystolic regions, and beta sheets (with the exception of only a few alpha helicies) make up the majority of the exoplasmic receptor face. Atropine interacts with the (residues) of the exoplasmic face. It interacts so well, it is actually considered to be a "pure agonist" by some <ref>Parker, Julie C; Sarkar, Deboshree; Quick, Michael W; Lester, Robin A. ''Interactions of Atropine with heterologously expressed and native alpha3 subunit-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors''. British Journal of Pharmacology. 138:5. p801-810. 2009. </ref>. | Atropine is part of the tropane group alkaloid family, which includes other substances such as cocaine. Atropine binds to acetylcholine receptors, blocking the action of acetylcholine and therefore suppressing the actions of the parasympathetic nervous system<ref> Atropine. New World Encyclopedia. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Atropine </ref>. | ||
==== Acetylcholine Receptors === | |||
The protein structure of an acetycholine receptor can be seen on the right. Although there is not a PDB ID for atropine in complex with the acetylcholine receptor, it is important to understand the structure of the acetylcholine receptor, and subsequently, how atropine and other alkaloids interact with it. One can see that each color in the current model represents a portion of the complex protien, which contains five domains. The <scene name='Sandbox_53/Achr_hydrophobicity/1'>hydrophobic</scene> regions can then be displayed in gray, while the hydrophillic regions appear purple. This shows a transmembrane alpha-helix region in the center of the molecule, a large hydrophillic complex on the exoplasmic face of the protein, and another hydrophillic region on the cystolic face of the protein. By highlighting the <scene name='Sandbox_53/Achr_secondarystructure/1'>secondary structure</scene> of the acetylcholine receptor, it is also easy to see how the secondary structure is concentrated to specific regions of the molecule. Alpha helicies span the majority of the transmembrane and cystolic regions, and beta sheets (with the exception of only a few alpha helicies) make up the majority of the exoplasmic receptor face. Atropine interacts with the (residues) of the exoplasmic face. It interacts so well, it is actually considered to be a "pure agonist" by some <ref>Parker, Julie C; Sarkar, Deboshree; Quick, Michael W; Lester, Robin A. ''Interactions of Atropine with heterologously expressed and native alpha3 subunit-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors''. British Journal of Pharmacology. 138:5. p801-810. 2009. </ref>. | |||
The interaction of atropine and phospholipase 2A will be discussed in detail later in this article. | The interaction of atropine and phospholipase 2A will be discussed in detail later in this article. | ||
==== Inhibition of Acetylcholine Receptors ==== | |||
[[Image:Synapse.jpg]] <ref>Image from: http://www.neurevolution.net/category/history/page/2/ </ref> | [[Image:Synapse.jpg]] <ref>Image from: http://www.neurevolution.net/category/history/page/2/ </ref> | ||
