ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Muscarinic antagonist

Okay kiddo, have you ever heard of a type of chemical in our bodies called acetylcholine? It helps our bodies do lots of things, like helping our muscles move and helping our brains think. Muscarinic antagonists are special medicines that help control how much acetylcholine our bodies use.

These medicines can help with lots of things, like helping people with asthma breathe better or helping people with an overactive bladder not have to go to the bathroom so often. They work by blocking special little things in our bodies called muscarinic receptors that normally use acetylcholine to do their job.

Think of the muscarinic antagonist like a little bouncer at a party. They stand at the door and don't let too many people in, controlling the amount of activity in the party. In the same way, muscarinic antagonists control how much acetylcholine our body uses, making sure everything works just right.