Acetylcholine
(ACh) was the first neurotransmitter discovered. Loewi's
now-classic study involving frog hearts and vagal stimulation demonstrated
the existence of chemical neurotransmission.
Acetylcholine
(ACh) was the first neurotransmitter discovered. Loewi's
now-classic study involving frog hearts and vagal stimulation demonstrated
the existence of chemical neurotransmission.
Acetylcholine (ACh) was the first neurotransmitter discovered. Loewi's now-classic study involving frog hearts and vagal stimulation demonstrated the existence of chemical neurotransmission.
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ACh
is present at many sites within both the peripheral and central nervous systems.
Peripherally it is released from both sympathetic and parasympathetic
preganglionic fibers, and from the parasympathetic postganglionic fibers.
If this suggests to you that cholinergic agonists might produce both
sympathetic and parasympathetic effects, you're right! .gif)
The
receptors in the ganglia are nicotinic, and at the parasympathetic targets
they are muscarinic. This means that a nicotinic
agonist might have both sympathetic and parasympathetic effects (this is
why I try not to think too much about peripheral pharmacology).
A fifteenth-century source reads, "They anoint a staff and ride
on it...or anoint themselves under the arms and in other hairy
places". If it was applied this way it was to insure the speed
of the body absorbing the hallucinogenic through the membranes.
http://www.geocities.com/lavenderwater37/flying_ointment.htm
Although sponges were widely used during the early days of both ether and chloroform anaesthesia, the Roman spongia somnifera is most strongly remembered today for the association it had with the punishment of crucifixion. Traditionally, these sponges contained mandrake wine, which, when used for this purpose, was known as morion, or death wine, because of its ability to make victims appear dead when actually still alive. Although its mode of action is unclear, it was so effective that centurions had orders to spear the bodies of victims before releasing them.
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/313/7072/1630
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