title: [Effects of tetrandrine on cytosolic free calcium in fetal rat cerebral cells].
abstract: Cytosolic free Ca(2+)-[Ca2+]i was measured in dissociated cerebral cells isolated from fetal rats using the fluorescent indicator Fura-2. Increases in [Ca2+]i occurred rapidly following exposure of the cells to 50 mmol.L-1 KCl, 10(-7) mol.L-1 Bay K 8644 and 200 mumol.L-1 glutamate (Glu). [Ca2+]i elevation produced by K(+)-depolarization was blocked completely by pretreatment with tetrandrine (Tet) of various concentrations (10(-9) - 10(-7) mol.L-1, final). Tet showed significant inhibitory effect on [Ca2+]i increases stimulated by Glu in concentration-dependent manner. With Tet 10(-7) mol.L-1, Bay K 8644-induced increases in [Ca2+]i were reduced markedly. These results indicate that Tet can block the increases in [Ca2+]i in fetal rat cerebral cells induced by Ca2+ agonists, suggesting that this drug may have a protective effect on cerebral cell injury.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Che
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Z W
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: X Q
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D005333:Fetus; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; C009438:tetrandrine; D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester; D002118:Calcium