title: The in vitro effects of griffonin and ouabain on erythrocyte sodium content obtained from normal subjects and sickle cell patients.
abstract: The in vitro effects of griffonin and ouabain on erythrocyte sodium content have been investigated in 6 normal subjects and 6 sickle cell patients. Intracellular sodium contents of normal or sickle cells incubated for 8 h in tris buffer, griffonin/tris buffer, or ouabain/tris buffer were determined. Incubation of normal cells in tris buffer or 0.5 mmol/l griffonin had little effect on the cell sodium content. However, 1.0 mmol/l griffonin/tris buffer raised the cell sodium level (P less than 0.05) over the incubation period. Ouabain/tris buffer (0.5 mmol/l or 1.0 mmol/l) also raised the sodium content (P less than 0.05 to P less than 0.001). Incubation of sickle cells in tris buffer raised the cell sodium (P less than 0.05) as did 0.5 mmol/l or 1.0 mmol/l griffonin (P less than 0.05 to P less than 0.001). Ouabain/tris buffer (0.5 mmol/l or 1.0 mmol/l) raised the intra-erythrocyte sodium level (P less than 0.01 to P less than 0.001). These findings suggest that ouabain and griffonin both have similar actions on intra-erythrocyte sodium content although ouabain was more potent. It is suggested therefore that griffonin could be a useful anti-sickling drug for sickle cell disease crisis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Larmie
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Poston
mesh_terms: D000097:Acetonitriles / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000293:Adolescent; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006027:Glycosides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010042:Ouabain / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000032:analysis; D012805:Sickle Cell Trait / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000097:Acetonitriles; D006027:Glycosides; D010042:Ouabain; C070237:griffonin; D012964:Sodium