Drugs acting on Autonomic Ganglia
Drugs acting on Autonomic Ganglia • Autonomic ganglia are clusters of neuronal cell bodies which are located peripherally and essentially form a junction between autonomic nerves originating from the central nervous system and autonomic nerves innervating their target organs in the periphery. • Autonomic ganglia are integral part of autonomic nervous system and are affected by a large number of drugs. • The autonomic ganglionic acting drugs act selectively on cholinergic receptors in the ganglia and either stimulate or inhibit the nerve transmission in both sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglia. • Drugs or toxicants which inhibit synthesis (e.g. hemicholinium) or release (e.g. botulinum toxin and procaine) of acetylcholine can also interfere with ganglionic transmission, but conventionally these agents are not taken as autonomic ganglionic acting drugs because they act on other cholinergic sites as well. • Depending on the