Discovery:
The discovery of epinephrine was a long and complex process involving the work of several notable scientists, who added to and built upon each other's work. The process began in 1895, when John Jacob Abel began studying the properties of adrenal extracts. The adrenal glands are pair of small glands, members of the endocrine system, which are located on the kidneys. Abel's investigations into adrenal extracts was inspired by the work of Edward Sharpey-Schäfer. Sharpey-Schäfer observed that when injected into an experimental animal, adrenal extracts caused a narrowing of blood vessels, and consequentially, an increase in blood pressure.
John Jacob Abel experimented with a complicated chemical process for the isolation of adrenal extracts. In 1899, he isolated salts of a compound produced by the medulla of the adrenal glands. Abel named these salts epinephrine.
Abel's work inspired the Japanese-American chemist Jokichi Takemine, who devised a more effective process for isolating epinephrine. In 1901, Takemine, in partnership with his laboratory assistant, was the first to isolate pure crystalline epinephrine. Takemine patented the process, and by the early 1900's epinephrine was available for a number of commercial uses.
John Jacob Abel experimented with a complicated chemical process for the isolation of adrenal extracts. In 1899, he isolated salts of a compound produced by the medulla of the adrenal glands. Abel named these salts epinephrine.
Abel's work inspired the Japanese-American chemist Jokichi Takemine, who devised a more effective process for isolating epinephrine. In 1901, Takemine, in partnership with his laboratory assistant, was the first to isolate pure crystalline epinephrine. Takemine patented the process, and by the early 1900's epinephrine was available for a number of commercial uses.
Nature:
It was not until after its discovery, and indeed, it's widespread medical use, that the true nature of epinephrine was understood. In 1905, the physiologists William Bayliss and Ernest Starling introduced the concept of a hormone. Hormones were defined as substances produced by one organ, which were then released into the bloodstream and carried to another organ, where the hormone would affect or regulate the function of the second organ. Thus, hormones can be seen as chemical "messages" helping different organs and organs systems regulate and respond to stimuli, maintaining internal stability, or homeostasis, within the body. After the concept of hormones was introduced, epinephrine was identified as a hormone. Thus, epinephrine is often called the first hormone to be discovered, however, it must be noted that adrenaline had been successfully synthesized and was in use before the discovery of hormones.