Drugs and the endocrine system

Drugs and the endocrine system

The endocrine system consists of glands, which are specialized cell clusters, and hormones, the chemical transmitters secreted by the glands in response to stimulation.

Keeping well balanced

Together with the central nervous system, the endocrine sys-tem regulates and integrates the body’s metabolic activities and maintains homeostasis (the body’s internal equilibrium). The drug classes that treat endocrine system disorders in-clude:

·                 natural hormones and their synthetic analogues

·                 hormonelike substances

·                 drugs that stimulate or suppress hormone secretion.