title: Inhibition of the in vitro formation of irreversibly sickled cells by cepharanthine.
abstract: A method was developed to prepare irreversibly sickled cells (ISC) in vitro under a physiological condition. By exposing sickle red cells to repeated deoxygenation-reoxygenation cycles for 15 h at 37 degrees C, 20-30% of the red cells formed ISC. These cells were separated from biconcave-shaped cells by a gradient density centrifugation. The percentage of the formation of ISC was determined spectrophotometrically after cells were haemolysed. Cepharanthine, a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, was found to inhibit this in vitro formation of irreversibly sickled cells by 50% at 15 microns. This concentration was much lower than that required to inhibit the in vitro sickling.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000097:blood*; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004913:Erythrocytes, Abnormal / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D052117:Benzodioxoles
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; D010100:Oxygen; C006947:cepharanthine; D052117:Benzodioxoles