Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

23 results found

epinephrine

(Encyclopedia)epinephrine ĕpˌənĕfˈrīn [key], hormone important to the body's metabolism, also known as adrenaline. Epinephrine, a catecholamine, together with norepinephrine, is secreted principally by the me...

catecholamine

(Encyclopedia)catecholamine kătˌəkôlˈəmēn [key], any of several compounds occurring naturally in the body that serve as hormones or as neurotransmitters in the sympathetic nervous system. The catecholamines ...

beta-blocker

(Encyclopedia)beta-blocker or beta-adrenergic blocking agent bāˈtə ădˌrənûrˈjĭk [key], drug that reduces the symptoms connected with hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, angina pectoris, migraine headaches, ...

adrenaline

(Encyclopedia)adrenaline ədrĕnˈəlĭn, –lēn [key]: see epinephrine. ...

dopamine

(Encyclopedia)dopamine dōpˈəmēn [key], one of the intermediate substances in the biosynthesis of epinephrine and norepinephrine. See catecholamine. ...

Abel, John Jacob

(Encyclopedia)Abel, John Jacob, 1857–1938, American pharmacologist, b. Cleveland, grad. Univ. of Michigan, 1883, M.D. Univ. of Strasbourg, 1888. Professor of pharmacology (1893–1932) and director of the laborat...

norepinephrine

(Encyclopedia)norepinephrine nôrˌĕpīnĕfˈrən [key], a neurotransmitter in the catecholamine family that mediates chemical communication in the sympathetic nervous system, a branch of the autonomic nervous sys...

croup

(Encyclopedia)croup kro͞op [key], acute obstructive laryngitis in young children, usually between the ages of three and six. The manifestations are a high-pitched cough and difficulty in breathing, owing to a spas...

sympathomimetic drug

(Encyclopedia)sympathomimetic drug sĭmpăthˌōmĭmĕtˈĭk [key], any of a group of substances whose actions resemble the response of stimulated sympathetic nerves (see nervous system). These drugs include epinep...

synapse

(Encyclopedia)synapse sĭnˈăps [key], junction between various signal-transmitter cells, either between two neurons or between a neuron and a muscle or gland. A nerve impulse reaches the synapse through the axon,...

Browse by Subject