title: Effect of sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) venom on isolated rat aorta.
abstract: The venom from sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) (1-10 micrograms/ml) produced an irreversible contraction of the isolated rat aortic ring that was slow in onset, increased with time, and reached maximum in about 10-20 min. The contraction was not inhibited by pretreatment with phenoxybenzamine, atropine, indomethacin, tetrodotoxin, ouabain, low Na+ or Na+-free medium, however, it was markedly decreased by the Ca2+ channel blockers, nifedipine and verapamil. In Ca2+-free medium, no increase in tension was produced by the venom. It is concluded that sea nettle venom causes a contraction of the rat aortic ring by increasing Ca2+ influx through the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacological Institute, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, R.O.C.
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Burnett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects*; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms / Q000633:toxicity*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D003064:Cnidarian Venoms