agonist Hear it!

agonist Definition

ago·nist (agə nist′)

noun

  1. one who takes part in a struggle, as a main character in a drama
  2. a muscle whose action on a joint or orifice is opposed by the action of another muscle, the antagonist

Etymology: back-form. < antagonist

agonist Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • longer-act: These could include alternative forms of injectable opioid maintenance using longer-acting agonists such as methadone and partial agonists such as buprenorphine.
  • act: The Nottingham team is now planning to do a similar study assessing response to longer acting beta-2 agonists.
  • release: Gonadotrophin releasing hormone agonists: stimulate the release of natural sex hormones from the brain.

Adjective modifier

  • beta-2: The Nottingham team is now planning to do a similar study assessing response to longer acting beta-2 agonists.
  • adrenergic: Both vascular and airway smooth muscles relax in response to beta adrenergic agonists via cyclic AMP.
  • 2: Short-acting ß2 agonists should be used as the initial treatment for COPD patients to relieve breathlessness.
  • alpha-2: Detoxification using adrenergic alpha-2 agonists An excess of noradrenaline at the synapses is responsible for many of the withdrawal symptoms.
  • cholinergic: Thus, the fact that lithium potentiates the epileptogenic effects of cholinergic agonists may be explained by its presynaptic effects.
  • cb1: The main active constituent of cannabis - THC is one such CB1 receptor agonist.

Modifies a noun

  • ligand: Antagonist ligands can disable the signaling of an agonist ligand.
  • muscle: Weak antagonist muscles may limit speed of movement; consequently, strengthening them leads to an increase in agonist muscle movement speed.
  • therapy: Potentially serious hypokalaemia may result from beta agonist therapy.
  • drug: Like the LH-RH agonist drugs it cannot be predicted how long it will be effective for.
  • treatment: Summary: Agonist maintenance treatment has become the first-line treatment for chronic opioid dependence.

Noun used with modifier

  • dopamine: Research into dopamine agonist skin patches is in progress.
  • gnrh: In general, GnRH agonists are not prescribed for more than six months.
  • gonadotropin-releasing: A gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist versus a low-dose oral contraceptive for pelvic pain associated with endometriosis.
  • receptor: GABA A receptor agonists can also exacerbate absence seizures 86.
  • serotonin: This medicine belongs to a group of drugs called serotonin agonists.
  • apoptosis: More generally, over 100 molecules are in development as apoptosis agonists, although approaching 70 % of these remain in preclinical development.

Browse dictionary entries near agonist

  1. agonic line
  2. agonic
  3. agone
  4. agonal
  5. agon
  6. -agogue
  7. agog
  8. ago
  9. Agnus Dei
  10. agnosticism
  1. agonistes
  2. agonistic
  3. agonize
  4. agonizing
  5. agony
  6. agony aunt
  7. agora
  8. agoraphobia
  9. agouti
  10. agr