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Epinephrine - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Epinephrine : (noun)
1: a catecholamine secreted by the adrenal medulla in response
to stress (trade name Adrenalin); stimulates autonomic
nerve action [syn: epinephrin, adrenaline, Adrenalin]
Based on WordNet 2.0
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Epinephrine : Epinephrine: A substance produced by the medulla (inside) of the adrenal gland. The name epinephrine was coined in 1898 by the American pharmacologist and physiologic chemist (biochemist)
John Jacob Abel who isolated it from the adrenal gland which is located above (epi-) the kidney ("nephros" in Greek). (Abel also crystallized insulin ). Technically speaking, epinephrine
is a sympathomimetic catecholamine. It causes quickening of the heart beat, strengthens the force of the heart's contraction, opens up the airways (bronchioles) in the lungs and has numerous other
effects. The secretion of epinephrine by the adrenal is part of the fight-or-flight reaction. Adrenaline is a synonym of epinephrine and is the official name in the British Pharmacopoeia.
Based on WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003)
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