Medication
Anticholinergic (Parasympatholytic) Bronchodilators
History and Development
The prototype anticholinergic agent is atropine, which is found naturally in the plants Atropa belladonna and the Datura species.
Scopalamine is also extracted from the belladonna plant, and both atropine and scopolamine are called belladonna alkaloids.
|Agent |Date |Event |
|Belladonna alkaloids |Thousands of Years |There is evidence that atropine and scopolamine|
| | |have been ingested in one form or another for |
| | |thousands of years for their effects on the |
| | |central nervous system. |
|Datura species of plants |India – 17th century |Fumes from burning the Datura species of plants|
| |Great Britain – 1802 |were inhaled as a treatment for respiratory |
| |United States – c1850 |disorders |
|Aerosols of Datura |19th century |Aerosols of liquid with Datura were noted and |
| | |the respiratory route for delivery of |
| | |medications began to be appreciated. |
|Atropine
History and Development
The prototype anticholinergic agent is atropine, which is found naturally in the plants Atropa belladonna and the Datura species.
Scopalamine is also extracted from the belladonna plant, and both atropine and scopolamine are called belladonna alkaloids.
|Agent |Date |Event |
|Belladonna alkaloids |Thousands of Years |There is evidence that atropine and scopolamine|
| | |have been ingested in one form or another for |
| | |thousands of years for their effects on the |
| | |central nervous system. |
|Datura species of plants |India – 17th century |Fumes from burning the Datura species of plants|
| |Great Britain – 1802 |were inhaled as a treatment for respiratory |
| |United States – c1850 |disorders |
|Aerosols of Datura |19th century |Aerosols of liquid with Datura were noted and |
| | |the respiratory route for delivery of |
| | |medications began to be appreciated. |
|Atropine