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A Short History of the Drug Receptor ConceptReceptors and Scientific Pharmacology II: Critics of the Receptor Idea and Alternative Research Strands: the Transmitter Theory, c. 1905–35

A Short History of the Drug Receptor Concept: Receptors and Scientific Pharmacology II: Critics... [As we saw in the last chapter, proponents of the chemical theory were confronted with the physical theory as a competing explanation of the specific mode of action of drugs. But they were also confronted with a competitive new research strand, namely the work on transmitter substances. Links existed between the receptor idea and the concept of transmitters within the notion of a ‘receptive mechanism’ (to use Sollmann and Hanzlik’s term). However, this did not mean that they had the same history. On the contrary, the two research strands developed quite independently and the massive interest of pharmacologists in transmitters actually hampered the unfolding of research into receptors. In other words, the focus on transmitters decreased the probability that the hypothetical ideas about receptors and concepts of receptors would become a major issue in pharmacology. This is especially true for the first three decades of the twentieth century. In this chapter we take a closer look at this process.] http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png

A Short History of the Drug Receptor ConceptReceptors and Scientific Pharmacology II: Critics of the Receptor Idea and Alternative Research Strands: the Transmitter Theory, c. 1905–35

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Publisher
Palgrave Macmillan UK
Copyright
© Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited 2009
ISBN
978-1-349-36377-3
Pages
93 –106
DOI
10.1057/9780230583740_5
Publisher site
See Chapter on Publisher Site

Abstract

[As we saw in the last chapter, proponents of the chemical theory were confronted with the physical theory as a competing explanation of the specific mode of action of drugs. But they were also confronted with a competitive new research strand, namely the work on transmitter substances. Links existed between the receptor idea and the concept of transmitters within the notion of a ‘receptive mechanism’ (to use Sollmann and Hanzlik’s term). However, this did not mean that they had the same history. On the contrary, the two research strands developed quite independently and the massive interest of pharmacologists in transmitters actually hampered the unfolding of research into receptors. In other words, the focus on transmitters decreased the probability that the hypothetical ideas about receptors and concepts of receptors would become a major issue in pharmacology. This is especially true for the first three decades of the twentieth century. In this chapter we take a closer look at this process.]

Published: Sep 25, 2015

Keywords: Autonomic Nervous System; Myoneural Junction; Physical Theory; Chemical Theory; Nobel Lecture

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