Ambenonium is a cholinesterase inhibitor used in the treatment of myasthenia gravis, helping to alleviate muscle weakness by stimulating muscle contraction and stimulation. Its mechanism of action is through reversible inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, this stops the breakdown of acetylcholine in the neuromuscular junction, allowing it to further interact with nicotinic receptors. Acetylcholine stimulates the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and causes a cascade resulting in muscle contraction. As myasthenia gravis inhibits acetylcholine signal transmission by producing antibodies that bind to the receptors instead, stopping all signal transmission to initiate a muscle contraction. Ambenonium allows acetylcholine to be present in the neuromuscular junction for longer and increases the chances of signal transmission.

Ambenonium Pathway (new) References