Pronunciation: [ˈɔːtɐkˌɔ͡ɪd] (IPA) 
The spelling of the word "autacoid" can be a bit tricky for those unfamiliar with medical terminology. It is pronounced aw-tuh-koid and is a noun used to describe a substance that is produced by the body and has a localized effect on tissue. The word "auto-" means "self" and "-acoid" means "resembling". Therefore, autacoid refers to a substance that resembles a hormone but is produced locally by the body rather than in a gland.
Autacoid is a term used in medicine and pharmacology to refer to naturally occurring substances within the body that act as locally released or locally acting chemical messengers. These substances are produced by various cells and tissues in the body and exert their effects at the site of production or in the immediate vicinity. Autacoids are involved in regulating various physiological processes and are known for their ability to mediate both normal and pathological responses.
Autacoids can include a wide range of substances, such as histamine, serotonin, prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and bradykinin, among others. They are typically synthesized and released in response to specific stimuli, and may play roles in inflammation, blood clotting, immune responses, and pain transmission, among other functions.
One of the defining features of autacoids is their ability to act through specific receptors, which are often present on the same cells that produce them or on nearby cells. Activation of these receptors triggers biochemical changes that are responsible for the observed physiological effects. Autacoids can have a wide range of activities, including vasodilation, bronchoconstriction, smooth muscle contraction, and regulation of cell growth and differentiation.
Understanding the actions of autacoids and their receptors is critical for the development of therapeutic interventions for various diseases, as well as for the management of physiological processes in the body.
Any one of the internal secretions; a specific organic substance formed by the cells of an organ and passed from them into the circulating fluid to produce effects upon other organs similar to those produced by drugs (Schafer).
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "autacoid" is derived from the Greek words "autos" meaning "self" and "akos" meaning "cure" or "remedy". The term was coined in the early 20th century by the British physiologist Henry Dale to describe a group of substances that act as local regulators in the body, producing effects similar to drugs but naturally occurring within the organism. Autacoids include various compounds such as histamine, serotonin, prostaglandins, and leukotrienes, which play a role in various physiological processes.
