Scopolamine is a tropane alkaloid isolated from members of the _Solanaceae_ family of plants, similar to [atropine] and [hyoscyamine], all of which structurally mimic the natural neurotransmitter [acetylcholine].[A228423, A228763] Scopolamine was first synthesized in 1959, but to date, synthesis remains less efficient than extracting scopolamine from plants.[A228763] As an acetylcholine analogue, scopolamine can antagonize muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) in the central nervous system and throughout the body, inducing several therapeutic and adverse effects related to alteration of parasympathetic nervous system and cholinergic signalling.[A228758, L31578] Due to its dose-dependent adverse effects, scopolamine was the first drug to be offered commercially as a transdermal delivery system, Scopoderm TTS®, in 1981.[A228423, A228758] As a result of its anticholinergic effects, scopolamine is being investigated for diverse therapeutic applications; currently, it is approved for the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness and surgical procedures.[A228773, L31578] Scopolamine was first approved by the FDA on December 31, 1979, and is currently available as both oral tablets and a transdermal delivery system.[L31578]
Scopolamine is indicated in adult patients for the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness and for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) associated with anesthesia or opiate analgesia.[L31578]
Drug Info/Drug Targets: DrugBank 3.0: a comprehensive resource for 'omics' research on drugs. Knox C, Law V, Jewison
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