Channel blockers

A channel blocker (CB) or ion channel blocker (ICB) is a type of drug which binds inside the pore of a specific type of ion channel and blocks the flow of ions through it, resulting in an alteration of the electrochemical gradient of the cell membrane of neurons and therefore a change in neurotransmission.

Types of Channel Blockers
There are several different major classes of channel blockers, including:


 * Calcium (Ca2+) channel blockers
 * Chloride (Cl-) channel blockers
 * Potassium (K+) channel blockers
 * Sodium (Na+) channel blockers

The following types which act on ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs) via binding to their pore also exist:


 * 5-HT3 receptor antagonists
 * AMPA receptor antagonists
 * GABAA receptor antagonists
 * Glycine receptor antagonists
 * Kainate receptor antagonists
 * nACh receptor antagonists
 * NMDA receptor antagonists
 * P2X receptor antagonists
 * Zinc (Zn2+)-activated channel antagonists

These types of receptor antagonists are referred to as noncompetitive or uncompetitive.