The agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action of
psychopharmacologic agents
Pharmacological agents stimulate their agonist to antagonist receptor spectrum, so it is necessary
to understand what receptors are. Some proteins present in the cell cytoplasm or cell membrane
are indicated by receptors. There are certain classes of drugs or ligands (endogens), which can be
binding for the pharmacological action with each of the receivers (Mijares, Lebesgue, Wallukat
& Hoebeke, 2018).
Psychopharmacologic drugs act at neurotransmission sites and their results are based on a
continuum of antagonists. The agonist is a molecule that similarly binds and activates receptor
site in order to create a response to the influence of a neuropathic transmitter (Stahl, 2013). An
antagonist responds to the agonist's result by suppressing the neuropathy. Antagonists are
regarded as mediators of therapeutic behavior and source of unwanted side effects in mental
disorders (Stahl, 2013).
There are several medicines which have binding implications on neurotransmitters; the first is an
agonist I mentioned. The next is a partial agonist, which uses drugs to activate receptors to the
degree that the effects of an agent are reduced, but not entirely, by acts of a total agonist. In
effect, this is an example of how much agonist and antagonist is going to be (Stahl, 2013).
The Actions of G Couple Proteins and Ion Gated Channels
G couples of proteins have several different proteins covering the membrane seven times
and convey binding sites stimuli to neurotransmitters that enable psychotropic drug activities to
be exploited to produce either therapeutic action or side-effect symptoms (Stahl, 2013). Once
drugs have been attached to the receptor sites, an influencing effect is produced which generates
either a complete or partial neurotransmitter filtering effect (Stahl, 2013). Using drugs to
influence the molecular changes, phosphoprotein changes are activated / inactivated, or enzymes,
receptors or ion channels are altered by neurotransmission (Stahl, 2013).
Stahl (2013) states that inotropic receptor changes caused by the drug can have a
profound effect on psychiatric symptoms in therapeutic drugs that immediately alter the flow of
ions, resulting in an immediate clinical effect on some receptors, for example with anxiolytics
and hypnotics.
The Role of Epigenetics in Pharmacologic Action
The study of alterations that affect the phenotype without altering the genotype is referred
to in Epigenetics (Burkhart, Sharma and Ahuja 2018). Stahl (2013) indicates that there can be an
epigenetic mechanism for learning or experiencing psychopharmacologic agent's therapeutic
actions.
How this Information May Impact the Way you Prescribe Medications to Clients
An example of a case where a person must be conscious of the medication's operation
involves a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MD), in clinical mental health care
practitions. SERRAMIN, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), was the prescription
medication to treat MDD. As a nurse for mental health, all side effects and treatment
instructions should be clarified to the consumer. In all new medications, it is particularly
essential to make a follow-up appointment. The client informed the mental health nurse
practitioner after a week or two to take medicines as administered that they were undergoing a
worse depression and no enhancement of the symptoms of depression. The time taken to start
the drug would have been addressed as sertraline can be postponed. Serotonin's pharmacologic
action works as the agonist to boost mood and depression in the antidepressant drug class by
increasing serotonin itself on all serotonin receptors (Stahl, 2013).
In order to properly prescribe medication, a future mental health nurse practitioner should
be aware of these concepts.
References
Burkhart, R., Sharma, A. R., & Ahuja, N.:(2018).:Epigenetic pharmacology. In:Pancreatic
Cancer(pp. 1551-1575). Springer New York.:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7193-
0_69.
Mijares, A., Lebesgue, D., Wallukat, G., & Hoebeke, J. (2018). From agonist to antagonist: Fab
fragments of an agonist-like monoclonal anti-β2-adrenoceptor antibody behave as
antagonists.:Molecular pharmacology,:58(2), 373-379. :DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1124/mol.58.2.373.
Stahl, S. M. (2013). Stahl's essential psychopharmacology: Neuroscientific basis and practical
applications (4th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press *Preface, pp. ix–x
