Imidazoline receptors are the primary receptors on which clonidine and other imidazolines act.[1][2][3] There are three main classes of imidazoline receptor: I1 is involved in inhibition of the sympathetic nervous system to lower blood pressure,[4] I2 has as yet uncertain functions but is implicated in several psychiatric conditions,[5][6] and I3 regulates insulin secretion.[7]
^Regunathan, S; Reis, D J (April 1996). "Imidazoline Receptors and Their Endogenous Ligands". Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology. 36 (1): 511–544. doi:10.1146/annurev.pa.36.040196.002455. PMID8725400.
^Kawamura, Kazunori; Shimoda, Yoko; Kumata, Katsushi; Fujinaga, Masayuki; Yui, Joji; Yamasaki, Tomoteru; Xie, Lin; Hatori, Akiko; Wakizaka, Hidekatsu; Kurihara, Yusuke; Ogawa, Masanao; Nengaki, Nobuki; Zhang, Ming-Rong (April 2015). "In vivo evaluation of a new 18F-labeled PET ligand, [18F]FEBU, for the imaging of I2-imidazoline receptors". Nuclear Medicine and Biology. 42 (4): 406–412. doi:10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2014.12.014. PMID25583220.