adenosine

 

 

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside composed of a molecule of adenine attached to a ribose sugar molecule (ribofuranose) moiety via a β-N9-glycosidic bond. Adenosine is widely found in nature and plays an important role in biochemical processes, such as energy transfer — as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) — as well as in signal transduction as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). It is also a neuromodulator, believed to play a role in promoting sleep and suppressing arousal. Adenosine also plays a role in regulation of blood flow to various organs through vasodilation.
In addition to adenosine's endogenous forms, it is also used as a medication, specifically, as an antiarrhythmic agent, to treat a number of forms of supraventricular tachycardia that do not improve with vagal maneuvers. Common side effects include chest pain, feeling faint, shortness of breath along with tingling of the senses . Serious side effects include a worsening dysrhythmia and low blood pressure. It appears to be safe in pregnancy.