alpha2-Adrenoceptor agonists: shedding light on neuroprotection?

Although alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonists are widely used for analgesia, anxiolysis, sedation, sympatholysis and as anaesthetic-adjuncts for many years, their potential use as neuroprotectants has so far been confined to laboratory experiments. Despite the large body of evidence from both in vivo and in vitro studies, their exact neuroprotective mechanisms remain elusive. Herein, we review the available literature pertaining to the neuroprotective effect of alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonists and the possible biochemical and physiological cascades involved in their mechanisms of action. The remarkable safety profile of alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonists and their high potency of neuroprotection should prompt clinical trials to evaluate their neuroprotective efficacy in humans.