The human body can become very weak and lose resistance to infections as a result of the development of diseases. This interferes with the normal functioning of all systems and leads to failures in providing the body with useful substances. To restore all functions and restore vitality to the body, a special group of medicines was developed, which was called analeptics. However, in addition to the therapeutic effect, such drugs have many rather serious contraindications, which greatly limits their use in therapeutic practice.
Analeptics are medicines whose main purpose is to stimulate and restore brain function.
How do they work?
For the most part, these medicines affect the medulla oblongata, which is responsible for respiratory function and blood circulation. There are also analeptic drugs that can excite other areas of the brain. Active elements force receptors to react brisklyon substances that enter the body or are produced by it.
If you take more than the prescribed dose, you need to consider that the substances contained in analeptics can affect the motor functions of a person, which, in turn, can lead to a convulsive syndrome.
What are these remedies?
Analeptics are a group of drugs whose sequence of effects on the brain and central nervous system is not fully understood and studied. Until recently, they were used quite widely, but now they are fading into the background, as more modern and safer analogues have entered the pharmaceutical market. Experts often criticize analeptics for the high likelihood of side effects in the form of hypoxia and seizures.
Classification of analeptics
Most often you can find the classification of analeptics according to the effect that their intake has on the respiratory center of the brain:
- Direct stimulants or respiratory analeptics. They directly affect the neurons of the brain, namely the respiratory center. These include Caffeine, Strychnine, Bemegrid, Securinine, etc.
- H-cholinomimetics. They have a reflex effect, stimulating the corresponding receptors in the central nervous system. These include "Cytisine", "Lobelin" and others.
- Analeptics with a complex effect, combining the two previous types. The most common among them are Cordiamin and Camphor.
Most popular drugs
The pharmaceutical market has a wide choicedrugs of this pharmacological group, however, the most popular and widespread are the following:
- "Etimizol" is a respiratory drug-analeptic. Stimulates the respiratory center of the brain and at the same time has a calming effect on the cerebral cortex. The main difference between this drug and similar ones is the softness of action and the absence of the effect of exhaustion in the work of the respiratory center.
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"Camphor". It creates several versatile effects, stimulating and anesthetizing parts of the brain, including the respiratory center. This drug is effective in the treatment of pneumococci.
action of analeptics - "Cordiamin". The drug increases the sensitivity of brain neurons, stimulates the nervous system and receptors.
- "Caffeine". In limited quantities, it activates the activity of the heart and affects the psyche. However, in some patients it can cause a slowdown in psychomotor functions and lethargy.
How do they work?
Analeptics are a special group of medicines. It has already been said above that medicine has not fully studied the processes of their impact on the human brain and central nervous system. The only obvious fact is their opposite effect: in some patients they stimulate the work of certain areas of the brain, while in others, on the contrary, they depress. However, the main task of these medicines is to facilitate neural connections and activate the transmission of nerve impulses between them.
The action of analeptics actually extends to everythingareas of the brain and CNS. Depending on the type of drug taken, the effect occurs in relation to the medulla oblongata, cerebral cortex, etc. The effect is approximately as follows: after taking the analeptic, it excites the area of the nervous system for which it is responsible, which makes the neurons in it more sensitive. Thus, the susceptibility of the selected part of the brain to substances that irritate it also increases. As a result, breathing normalizes and blood pressure rises. Despite the fact that each analeptic stimulates a different part of the brain, the process itself is approximately the same.
Hidden influence
In addition to the obvious effects, analeptic drugs can affect the body in other ways:
- Increase in vascular resistance.
- Inhibition of the effect of taking drugs that can suppress the psyche.
- Suppression of the effect of sleeping pills.
Analeptics: indications for use
These drugs are recommended for use in the following cases:
- Therapy of asphyxia in newborn babies. This type of treatment has already faded into the background, as other methods have appeared without the use of synthetic drugs.
- Intoxication with drugs, sleeping pills, as well as ethyl alcohol and alcoholic beverages.
- Depressive state after anesthesia was used in the patient.
- Heart failure.
- In exceptional cases, datadrugs are used to treat impotence, paralysis and paresis, as they stimulate muscle activity.
- Sometimes neuroleptics are also prescribed to patients with hearing and vision pathologies.
Popular analeptics
Although many experts criticize drugs, some of them remain quite popular. Some of them should be considered.
"Etimizol". The main active ingredient of the drug is a caffeine molecule in which the pyrimidine ring is broken. It mainly affects the region of the respiratory center of the brain, without affecting the vasomotor area, which eliminates the occurrence of seizures while taking the drug. In addition, "Etimizol" is able to cheer up, stimulate memory function. It increases hypothalamus secretion, which allows the body to produce more corticotropin, which is a releasing hormone.
This drug can also carry out a regenerative function, acting on damaged areas of the gastric mucosa, increasing protein production. The drug rarely causes side effects.
What other analeptics are there in pharmacology?
"Camphor". Belongs to the ketones of the terpene group and is a hexagonal crystals of a translucent white hue. In addition to a positive effect on respiratory functions, the drug creates an antiarrhythmic effect and normalizes the heartbeat. In addition, against the background of taking "Camphor" due to vasodilationthe need of the heart for oxygen saturation increases. In contrast to expanding coronary arteries in the abdominal cavity, the vessels of the heart narrow when taking the drug. Due to this, a number of substances necessary for the body are produced, such as glycogen, creatine phosphate, etc. The use of analeptics should be justified.
Most often used to excite the central nervous system in order to increase the physical and mental performance of a person "Caffeine-sodium benzoate". This drug acts antisedative, reducing fatigue and drowsiness. For the most part, the active substance acts on the vasomotor and respiratory centers of the human brain. Caffeine has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart, namely, it speeds up the heartbeat and increases the impact force. It contributes to the expansion of blood vessels not only in the brain, but also in the kidneys, heart and other organs. It is the best choice for the treatment of drug intoxication, vasospasm and cardiovascular insufficiency.
The action of "Cordiamin" is similar to the previous ones. It affects the vasomotor and respiratory center of the brain. It is closest in effect to "Caffeine". It differs in that it can be prescribed to relieve the symptoms of asphyxia, vascular collapse, as well as in the complex therapy of diseases of infectious origin.
"Bemegrid" - a drug that has a directed action. It is chosen if only the respiratory function is to be affected and not the vascular system. Used infollowing cases:
- Slight intoxication.
- Overdose of drugs that can depress the central nervous system.
- Recovery from anesthesia.
Conclusion
Analeptics are tools that are quite widely used to solve various problems aimed at improving the patient's condition. They are still often prescribed by doctors to restore respiratory function and start recovery processes throughout the body. Some of them are gradually being replaced by more modern and safer counterparts. However, analeptics still play a significant role in the treatment of patients with various diagnoses, and the situation is unlikely to change dramatically in the near future.
