Stereochemistry | ABSOLUTE |
Molecular Formula | 2C15H21N3O2.H2O4S |
Molecular Weight | 648.771 |
Optical Activity | UNSPECIFIED |
Defined Stereocenters | 4 / 4 |
E/Z Centers | 0 |
Charge | 0 |
SHOW SMILES / InChI
SMILES
OS(O)(=O)=O.[H][C@]12N(C)CC[C@@]1(C)C3=C(C=CC(OC(=O)NC)=C3)N2C.[H][C@]45N(C)CC[C@@]4(C)C6=C(C=CC(OC(=O)NC)=C6)N5C
InChI
InChIKey=YYBNDIVPHIWTPK-KYJQVDHRSA-N
InChI=1S/2C15H21N3O2.H2O4S/c2*1-15-7-8-17(3)13(15)18(4)12-6-5-10(9-11(12)15)20-14(19)16-2;1-5(2,3)4/h2*5-6,9,13H,7-8H2,1-4H3,(H,16,19);(H2,1,2,3,4)/t2*13-,15+;/m11./s1
Physostigmine (Phy) is one of the oldest drug isolated from Calabar beans and successfully used for the treatment of glaucoma in 1864. Since then, it has been widely employed for various therapeutic purposes. Recently, it has gained prominence because of its clinical trials in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Physostigmine was used to treat glaucoma. It can be applied topically to the conjunctiva. Phy is also considered to be a potent prophylactic antidote for organophosphate poisoning. It is a reversible cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitor and has a short duration of action. For the last 50 years, numerous authors have shown that pretreatment with Phy would rapidly improve the incapacitating effects of organophosphate intoxication in various animal species. Phy carbamylates to a portion of ChE enzyme and thus protects the enzyme from binding with organophosphate, which are irreversible ChE inhibitors. The carbamylated ChE enzyme decarbamylates to free the enzyme for normal functioning. The rates of decarbamylation of butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) in plasma and ChE in brain and muscle are different and are related to the half-life of Phy in these tissues. In addition to ChE inhibition, Phy has a direct action on acetylcholine (ACh) receptor ionophore complex by interacting with the ACh-gated cation channels. A cholinesterase inhibitor that is rapidly absorbed through membranes. It also can cross the blood-brain barrier and is used when central nervous system effects are desired, as in the treatment of severe anticholinergic toxicity.
CNS Activity
Approval Year
Sample Use Guides
For glaucoma:
Adults and children—Use in each eye one to three times a day.
Route of Administration:
Other
The increased number of BrdU- and proliferating cell nuclear antigen-labeled cells were shown in zebrafish treated with 200 μM physostigmine, which was inhibited by pretreatment with 200 μM scopolamine. iNOS mRNA expression was increased in the brain of zebrafish treated with 200 μM physostigmine. Consistently, aminoguanidine, an iNOS inhibitor, attenuated the increase in the number of BrdU-labeled cells by physostigmine treatment. Zebrafish also showed seizure-like locomotor activity characterized by a rapid and abrupt movement during a 30 min treatment with 200 μM physostigmine. Neural activity in response to an electrical stimulus was increased in the isolated telencephalon of zebrafish continuously perfused with 200 μM physostigmine.