| neuromuscular depolarising agents | Drugs that interrupt transmission at the skeletal neuromuscular junction by causing sustained depolarisation of the motor end plate. These agents are primarily used as adjuvants in surgical anaesthesia to cause skeletal muscle relaxation. (12 Dec 1998) |
|---|---|
| neuromuscular nondepolarising agents | Drugs that interrupt transmission at the skeletal neuromuscular junction without causing depolarisation of the motor end plate. They prevent acetylcholine from triggering muscle contraction and are used as muscle relaxants during electroshock treatments, in convulsive states, and as anaesthesia adjuvants. (12 Dec 1998) |
| neuroprotective agents | Drugs intended to prevent damage to the brain or spinal cord from ischemia, stroke, convulsions, or trauma. Some must be administered before the event, but others may be effective for some time after. They act by a variety of mechanisms, but often directly or indirectly minimise the damage produced by endogenous excitatory amino acids. (12 Dec 1998) |
| neurotransmitter agents | Substances used for their pharmacological actions on any aspect of neurotransmitter systems. Neurotransmitter agents include agonists, antagonists, degradation inhibitors, uptake inhibitors, depleters, precursors, and modulators of receptor function. (12 Dec 1998) |
| neurotransmitters and neurotransmitter agents | A collective grouping for neurotransmitters and substances that act on the neurotransmitter system. (12 Dec 1998) |
| nootropic agents | Drugs used to specifically facilitate learning or memory, particularly to prevent the cognitive deficits associated with dementias. These drugs act by a variety of mechanisms. While no potent nootropic drugs have yet been accepted for general use, several are being actively investigated. (12 Dec 1998) |
| sunscreening agents | Chemical or physical agents that protect the skin from sunburn and erythema by absorbing or blocking ultraviolet radiation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| sweetening agents | Substances that sweeten food, beverages, medications, etc., such as sugar, saccharine or other low-calorie synthetic products. (12 Dec 1998) |
| dentin-bonding agents | Cements that act through infiltration and polymerization within the dentinal matrix and are used for dental restoration. They can be adhesive resins themselves, adhesion-promoting monomers, or polymerization initiators that act in concert with other agents to form a dentin-bonding system. (12 Dec 1998) |
| dermatologic agents | Drugs used to treat or prevent skin disorders or for the routine care of skin. (12 Dec 1998) |
| dopamine agents | Any drugs that are used for their effects on dopamine receptors, on the life cycle of dopamine, or on the survival of dopaminergic neurons. (12 Dec 1998) |
| imaging agents | Proteins developed to act as imaging or contrast agents for use with various types of bodyscanners. The proteins, usually antibodies, bind to specific tissue types, usually tumours, and allow the scanner to distinguish those tissues from the surrounding tissue very easily. (14 Nov 1997) |
| immunosuppressive agents | Agents that suppress immune function by one of several mechanisms of action. Classical cytotoxic immunosuppressants act by inhibiting DNA synthesis. Others may act through activation of suppressor T-cell populations or by inhibiting the activation of helper cells. While immunosuppression has been brought about in the past primarily to prevent rejection of transplanted organs, new applications involving mediation of the effects of interleukins and other cytokines are emerging. (12 Dec 1998) |
| intercalating agents | Agents that are capable of inserting themselves between the successive bases in DNA, thus kinking, uncoiling or otherwise deforming it and therefore preventing its proper functioning. They are used in the study of DNA. (12 Dec 1998) |
| iron chelating agents | Organic chemicals that form two or more coordination links with an iron ion. Once coordination has occurred, the complex formed is called a chelate. The iron-binding porphyrin group of haemoglobin is an example of a metal chelate found in biological systems. (12 Dec 1998) |