Antiasthmatics are a class of drugs that can alleviate or terminate asthma attacks. Common antiasthmatics include:
- adrenomimetic drugs, the drugs that can increase intracellular cAMP concentration mainly through activating β-adrenergic receptor activation adenylate cyclase, and inhibit mastocytes from releasing allergenic substances, as well as relax the smooth muscle and dilate the bronchial tube, including epinephrine, ephedrine, isoproterenol, salbutamol and so on
- M-cholinoceptor blocking drugs, the drugs that can dilate bronchial smooth muscle by blocking the M-cholinoceptors, such as ipratropium, anisodamine, etc.
- theophyllines, which reduce cAMP damage mainly by inhibiting phosphodiesterase in order to relieve asthma, such as aminophylline, dyphylline, etc.
- drugs inhibiting the release of the active allergy substance such as disodium cromoglycate, etc.
- adrenocortical hormones such as beclomethasone (BDP), methylprednisolone, kenacort.