Abstract
Alpha-2 (α2) adrenergic receptors mediate many of the physiological actions of the endogenous catecholamines adrenaline and noradrenaline, and are targets of several therapeutic agents. Selective α2 receptor agonists are currently used as antihypertensives and as adjuncts to anaesthesia, as spinal analgesics, and to treat opioid, nicotine and alcohol dependence and withdrawal in human beings. Characterisation of different sub-types of α2 receptors and recent advances in the field of drug development has helped to tap this barren field. This article is an effort to summarise these selective α2 receptor agonists and to discuss their role in therapeutics.
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