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Can We Find Better Bronchodilators to Relieve Asthma Symptoms?

Authors :
Townsend, Elizabeth A.
Yim, Peter D.
Gallos, George
Emala, Charles W.
Source :
Journal of Allergy.
Publication Year :
2012
Publisher :
Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2012.

Abstract

Bronchodilators are the first line therapy during acute asthmatic exacerbations to reverse airway obstruction primarily by relaxing airway smooth muscle. Only three categories of bronchodilators exist in clinical practice: -adrenergic agonists, anticholinergics, and methylxanthines. Each of these categories have specific drugs dating back to the early 20th century, raising the question of whether or not we can find better bronchodilators. While caffeine, theophylline, atropine, and epinephrine were the first generations of therapeutics in each of these drug classes, there is no question that improvements have been made in the bronchodilators in each of these classes. In the following editorial, we will briefly describe new classes of potential bronchodilators including: novel PDE inhibitors, natural phytotherapeutics, bitter taste receptor ligands, and chloride channel modulators, which have the potential to be used alone or in combination with existing bronchodilators to reverse acute airway obstruction in the future.

Subjects

Subjects :
Article Subject

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
16879783
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Journal of Allergy
Accession number :
edsair.hindawi.publ..5f8e2544d522b7926866d6a3e9b943cb
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/321949