Adrenaline vs Norepinephrine: what is the difference?
Adrenaline is norepinephrine plus one methyl group; norepinephrine is released at nerve endings, adrenaline into the blood as a hormone.
One methyl group apart.
Sources and notes
- The sentence under the titlefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
- The two drawingscomputedMoleculeFinder rule (RDKit MCS)Drawn the same way round on the skeleton they share; the amber marks where the two differ.
- The captionfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- What is highlightedfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curatedOne line under each drawing, written from the atoms the amber marks.
- Structural similaritycomputedRDKit Morgan/Tanimoto0.58 of 1, a Morgan fingerprint Tanimoto coefficient. It measures shape, not effect.
Side by side
| Adrenaline | Norepinephrine | |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular weightCalculated PubChem | 183.2 g/molC9H13NO3 | 169.18 g/molC8H11NO3 |
| Hydrogen-bond donorsCalculated PubChem | 4 | 4 |
| FamilyEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Neurotransmitters | Neurotransmitters |
| Everyday groupEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Body | Body |
| Chemical groupsCalculated Found by rule (RDKit) | Alcohols, Amines, Aromatics, Phenols | Alcohols, Amines, Aromatics, Phenols |
| Hazard labelReported ECHA via PubChem | Danger | Danger |
| The supplier-filed hazard label's signal word, not a statement about ordinary use. | ||
| LD50Measured HSDB via PubChem | 62 mg/kgpure adrenaline, rat, on the skin | 20 mg/kgpure norepinephrine, mouse, oral |
| A single acute animal measure, here in two different species. It ranks nothing about human safety. | ||
Sources and notes
- Molecular weightcomputedPubChemComputed from the structure; the formula is under each weight.
- Hydrogen-bond donorscomputedPubChemThe hydrogens on nitrogen or oxygen that each molecule can lend to a hydrogen bond, counted from its structure.
- Familyfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Everyday groupfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Chemical groupscomputedFound by rule (RDKit)Each group is found in the structure by a chemical pattern.
- Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA via PubChem
- LD50from sourceHSDB via PubChem
- ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
- Identifiersfrom sourcePubChemPubChem CID 5816 (Adrenaline) and 439260 (Norepinephrine).
In more detail
The formulas show it, C9H13NO3 against C8H11NO3, and the enzyme that adds the methyl works mostly in the adrenal medulla. That is the cleanest way to think about the pair: norepinephrine is the version the nervous system releases at nerve endings, and adrenaline is the version the adrenal gland pours into the blood as a hormone. They also favour different receptors. Norepinephrine acts mainly on alpha receptors, tightening blood vessels and raising blood pressure, while adrenaline hits beta receptors strongly too, which is what opens the airways and is the reason an adrenaline injector works for anaphylaxis. Both are naturally occurring and both carry a GHS Danger signal word in this catalog.
Sources and notes
- The paragraphfrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notes
Questions
- What is the difference between Adrenaline and Norepinephrine?
- Adrenaline is norepinephrine plus one methyl group; norepinephrine is released at nerve endings, adrenaline into the blood as a hormone.
- Is Adrenaline bigger than Norepinephrine?
- Adrenaline is the heavier molecule, 183.2 g/mol against 169.18 g/mol for Norepinephrine. Adrenaline is C9H13NO3 and Norepinephrine is C8H11NO3.
Sources and notes
- The answersfrom sourceMoleculeFinderThe first is the pair's answer line; the others are read off the table above.