Approaches to a long-acting, selective beta 2-adrenoceptor stimulant.

Selected beta 2-stimulants were sought that would stick more firmly than salbutamol at their sites of action on the beta 2-adrenoceptor protein in the cell membrane. Of the substance synthesized and tested it was concluded that salmeterol represented a new class of beta 2-stimulants that because of their exceptionally long duration of action have potential clinical advantages over current available beta 2-stimulants in the treatment of asthma.