title: Verapamil-sensitive and less sensitive contractions in the intestinal smooth muscle of the guinea-pig taenia caeci.
abstract: Effect of verapamil, a Ca2+ channel blocker, on the contractions in the intestinal smooth muscle of taenia isolated from guinea-pig caecum was examined. In normal medium, 10 mM-80 mM KCl or 10(-7) M-10(-5) M carbachol induced a transient contraction followed by a sustained one. When the muscle strips were treated with a Ca2+-free solution for 2 min, these stimulants failed to induce contraction except an initial transient contraction induced by 10(-6) M-10(-5) M carbachol. Cumulative application of verapamil during the sustained contraction induced muscle relaxation. Higher concentration of verapamil was needed to inhibit the sustained contraction induced by 10 mM or 20 mM K+ than that induced by 40 mM or 80 mM K+. Similarly, the sensitivity to verapamil of the sustained contraction induced by 10(-7) M carbachol was lower than that induced by 10(-6) M or 10(-5) M carbachol. In the presence of verapamil, addition of either high K+ or carbachol induced an initial transient contraction, although the sustained contraction was strongly inhibited. These results suggest that high K+ and carbachol activate two types of Ca2+ channels; lower concentrations of the stimulants open the channel which is less sensitive to verapamil, and higher concentrations open the channel which is more sensitive to verapamil.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pharmacology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitsui
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D002217:Carbachol / Q000494:pharmacology; D002432:Cecum / Q000187:drug effects; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects*; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D002217:Carbachol; D014700:Verapamil; D011188:Potassium