Epinephrine (also referred to as adrenaline; see Terminology]]) is a hormone and [[neurotransmitter.Fact: date=April 2009

Epinephrine increases the "fight or flight" response of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system.Fact: date=April 2009

It is a catecholamine, a sympathomimetic monoamine derived from the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine. The Latin roots ad-+renes and the Greek roots epi-+nephros both literally mean "on/to the kidney" (referring to the adrenal gland, which sits atop the kidneys and secretes epinephrine). Epinephrine is often shortened to E or to EPI in Medical jargon.Fact: date=April 2009

Jokichi Takamine, a Japanese chemist, independently discovered the same hormone in 1900. In 1901 he isolated and purified the hormone epinephrine from cow glands.Fact: date=April 2009

Epinephrine was first artificially synthesized in 1904 by Friedrich Stolz.Fact: date=April 2009

Triggers

Epinephrine is a "fight or flight" hormone, and plays a central role in the short-term stress reaction. It is released from the adrenal glands when danger threatens or in an emergency, hence an Adrenaline rush. Such triggers may be threatening, exciting, or environmental stressor conditions such as high noise levels, or bright light and high ambient temperature (see Fight-or-flight response).Fact: date=April 2009

Actions in the body

When in the bloodstream, it rapidly prepares the body for action in emergency situations. The hormone boosts the supply of oxygen and glucose to the brain and muscles, while suppressing other non-emergency bodily processes (digestion in particular).Fact: date=April 2009

It increases heart rate and stroke volume, dilates the pupils, and constricts arterioles in the skin and gastrointestinal tract while dilating arterioles in skeletal muscles. It elevates the blood sugar level by increasing catabolism of glycogen to glucose in the liver, and at the same time begins the breakdown of lipids in fat cells. Like some other stress hormones, epinephrine has a suppressive effect on the immune system.Epinephrine - Online Medical Dictionary

Although epinephrine does not have any psychoactive effects, stress or arousal also releases norepinephrine in the brain. Norepinephrine has similar actions in the body, but is also psychoactive.Fact: date=April 2009

The type of action in various cell types depends on their expression of adrenergic receptors.Fact: date=April 2009

Mechanism of action