title: Strychnine decreases the voltage-dependent Ca2+ current of both Aplysia and frog ganglion neurons.
abstract: 1. The effects of strychnine on the voltage-dependent Ca2+ current (ICa) were studied in physically isolated Aplysia neurons and enzymatically dissociated frog sensory neurons of the dorsal root ganglion. Neurons were studied under the internal perfusion and the voltage clamp condition. 2. Strychnine decreased the ICa with threshold concentrations for effect at 1 to 10 microM. The depression of ICa increased with strychnine dose without effects on the current-voltage relation of ICa. The effects of low concentrations of strychnine were reversible, but recovery was incomplete at higher concentrations. The potency of strychnine was about 10 times less than that of diltiazem, an organic Ca2+ antagonist. At 100 microM the ICa of Aplysia neurons was reduced to about half of the control. This concentration of strychnine also reduced the peak amplitude of ICa of frog sensory neurons. 3. These results indicate that, in addition to its actions on transmitter responses and on Na+ and K+ currents, strychnine has effects on ICa that have not previously been appreciated.
authors.affiliation: Wadsworth Center for Laboratories and Research, New York State Department of Health, Albany 12201.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oyama
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akaike
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Carpenter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001048:Aplysia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D005724:Ganglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011892:Rana catesbeiana / Q000502:physiology*; D013331:Strychnine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D013331:Strychnine; D002118:Calcium