1. Amines

• Primary Amine- one hydrogen atom replaced with an R group.

  Secondary Amine- 2 hydrogen atom replaced with an R group.

  Tertiary Amine- 3 hydrogen atom replaced with an R group.
• Amines


  Organic compounds that contain a basic nitrogen atom
• Neurotransmitters


  Chemical messengers that transmit signals across synapses between neurons
• Amines


  • One of the smelliest families of organic molecules
  • Close relatives to ammonia (NH3)
  • Hydrogen atoms replaced one at a time by hydrocarbon groups

  
• Primary amines


  • One hydrogen atom replaced with an R group
• Secondary amines


  • Two hydrogen atoms replaced with an R group

  
• Tertiary amines


  • All three hydrogen atoms replaced with an R group
• Alkaloids


  Basic, single molecules that can absorb hydrogen ions, produced by living things, many have medicinal uses
• Acid-base reactions of amines

  1. Ammonia, 1°amines, 2° amines react with acid chlorides/anhydrides to form 1°, 2°, 3° amides

  2. Amines act as bases, accept protons (H+) from acids to form ammonium ions

  
• Neurotransmitters


  • Chemicals that transmit signals from a neuron to a target cell across a synapse
  • Some neurons produce only one type, can coexist in multiple types
• Neurotransmitters


  • Adrenaline (epinephrine) - hormone produced in high stress, stimulates increased heart rate, blood flow, oxygen
• Amines


  Can act as bases because they have lone pairs of electrons on the nitrogen atom that can accept protons (H+)
• Bases

  Substances that can accept protons (H+) or donate pairs of electrons
• Neurotransmitters


  Chemicals which transmit signals from a neuron to a target cell across a synapse
• Adrenaline (epinephrine)


  A hormone produced in high stress or exciting situations that stimulates increased heart rate, contracts blood vessels, and dilates airways, to increase blood flow to the muscles & oxygen to the lungs
• Noradrenaline (norepinephrine)


  A neurotransmitter that affects attention & and responding actions in the brain, also involved in the 'fight or flight' response
• Dopamine


  Associated with feelings of pleasure & satisfaction, also associated with addiction, movement, and motivation
• Serotonin


  Thought to be a contributor to feelings of well-being and happiness, regulates the sleep cycle along with melatonin, and also regulates intestinal movements
• Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)


  Major inhibitory neurotransmitter of the brain, its role is to calm firing nerves in the central nervous system, increased levels improve mental focus and relaxation, low levels can cause anxiety and have been linked with epilepsy
• Acetylcholine


  The principal neurotransmitter involved in thought, learning and memory, also involved in activating muscle action
• Glutamate


  The most common neurotransmitter in the brain, involved in cognitive functions such as learning and memory, but toxic to neurons in larger quantities
• Endorphins


  A range of compounds formed from long chains of multiple amino acids, released in the brain during exercise, excitement, pain, and sexual activity, producing a feeling of well-being or even euphoria
• Classification of neurotransmitters


  • Acetylcholine
  • Biogenic Amines (catecholamines like dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and indoleamines like serotonin and histamine)
  • Amino Acids (glutamate and GABA)
• Hormones


  Regulatory substances produced in an organism and transported in tissue fluids like blood or sap, stimulating specific cells or tissues into action
• Neurotransmitters


  Chemical substances released at the end of a nerve cell by the arrival of a nerve impulse, transmitting the impulse into another neuron, muscle or some other structure
• Examples of hormones


  • Oxytocin, cortisol, testosterone, estrogen in animals, abscisic acid, cytokines, gibberellins in plants
• Examples of neurotransmitters


  • Serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, glutamate, aspartate, glycine, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide
• The main difference between hormones and neurotransmitters is their site of release and site of action
• Cetirizine


  An antihistamine medication that contains an amine group in its chemical structure, commonly used to treat allergies and allergic reactions
• Amphetamine


  A central nervous system stimulant that contains an amine group, used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy
• Lidocaine


  A local anesthetic that contains an amine group, used to numb specific areas of the body during medical procedures or surgeries
• Sertraline


  An antidepressant medication that contains an amine group, used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and other mental health conditions
• Phenylethylamine


  A CNS stimulant and sympathomimetic agent indicated for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Antihistamines


  Medicines often used to relieve symptoms of allergies, such as hay fever, hives, conjunctivitis and reactions to insect bites or stings
• Morphine


  A potent pain reliever derived from the opium poppy plant, commonly used to manage severe pain, such as that experienced after surgery or in cancer patients
• Quinine


  An alkaloid found in the bark of the cinchona tree, used to treat malaria, a potentially life-threatening disease caused by parasites transmitted through mosquito bites
• Caffeine


  A stimulant alkaloid found in coffee, tea, and other beverages, commonly used to increase alertness and combat fatigue
• Atropine


  An alkaloid derived from the deadly nightshade plant, used in medicine to dilate the pupils during eye exams, treat certain types of poisoning, and manage certain heart conditions
• Acetylcholine


  Produced from acetyl and choline, acts on the neuromuscular junctions, and acetylcholine-releasing neurons are also found in central nervous system (CNS)
• Biogenic amines


  • Catecholamines like dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine (NE)
  • Indoleamines like serotonin and histamine