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Pharmacy & Pharmacology vocabulary · Pharmacodynamics and Drug Action

Agonist

Meaning in pharmacy & pharmacology, with examples

/ˈæɡənɪst/nounCommon term

In pharmacy & pharmacology, agonist means: A drug that binds to a receptor and activates it, producing an effect similar to that of the body's own natural substance.

In Turkish: agonist

How it is used

Agonists can be full or partial: a partial agonist cannot produce the maximum effect even at high doses. Typical phrases are 'beta-2 agonist' for reliever inhalers and 'opioid agonist' for morphine. The adjective is agonistic.

Example sentences

  1. Salbutamol is a short-acting beta-2 agonist.

  2. Buprenorphine is a partial agonist at opioid receptors.

Common collocations

  • full agonist
  • partial agonist
  • beta-2 agonist
  • opioid agonist
  • antagonistA drug that binds to a receptor without activating it and so blocks the effect of the body's own substances or of other drugs.
  • receptorA protein on or inside a cell that a drug or a natural substance such as a hormone binds to, starting a change in how the cell works.
  • efficacyThe ability of a drug to produce the wanted effect; in pharmacology, the maximum effect a drug can produce, however high the dose.
  • mechanism of actionThe specific way a drug produces its effect in the body, such as blocking an enzyme, activating a receptor or stopping bacteria from building cell walls.

More terms: Pharmacodynamics and Drug Action

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