ABSTRACT
How do anticholinesterases exert their effects?
They inhibit the action of acetylcholinesterase by occupying its active site, which prevents it from breaking down acetylcholine (ACh).
These agents are used to reverse the effects of non-depolarising neuromuscular blocking drugs, as they increase the amount of ACh available to compete with the muscle relaxant at neuromuscular junction.
They are also used in the diagnosis and treatment of myasthenia gravis and form an active ingredient in pesticides and nerve gases.
