Therapeutic Possibilities with Serotonergic Drugs

The majority of serotonergic drugs act either via blocking uptake of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) into serotonergic neurons or by an action on a growing number of serotonin receptors. Based on operational (agonist and antagonist rank order), transductional (second messenger coupling) and structural (gene and amino acid sequence) criteria, four main types of serotonin receptors have been discerned. The responses mediated via many serotonin receptors are now well understood and this, in turn, has resulted in the development and use of serotonergic drugs in the therapy of several diseases, including anxiety and migraine, and in the prevention of vomiting caused by anticancer agents. Many other therapeutic avenues are being explored.