title: Effects of besipirdine at the voltage-dependent sodium channel.
abstract: 1. Besipirdine (HP 749) is a compound undergoing clinical trials for efficacy in treating Alzheimer's disease. Among other pharmacological effects, besipirdine inhibits voltage-dependent sodium and potassium channels. This paper presents a pharmacological study of the interaction of besipirdine with voltage-dependent sodium channels. 2. Besipirdine inhibited [3H]-batrachotoxin binding (IC50 = 5.5 +/- 0.2 microM) in a rat brain vesicular preparation and concentration-dependently inhibited veratridine (25 microM)-stimulated increases in intracellular free sodium ([Na+]i) and calcium ([Ca2+]i) in primary cultured cortical neurones of rat. 3. Besipirdine (30-100 microM) concentration-dependently inhibited (up to 100%) veratridine-stimulated release of [3H]-noradrenaline (NA) from rat cortical slices. 4. When examined in greater detail, besipirdine was found to inhibit [3H]-batrachotoxin binding in vesicular membranes competitively. However, when examined in rat brain synaptosomes, we found that the antagonism by besipirdine was not competitive; that is, the maximal stimulation of [Ca2+]i induced by veratridine decreased with increasing concentrations of besipirdine. 5. These results show that besipirdine is an inhibitor of voltage-sensitive sodium channels and appears to bind to a site close to the batrachotoxin/veratridine binding site.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Research, Hoechst Roussel Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Somerville, NJ 08876, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Huger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kongsamut
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001496:Batrachotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004594:Electrophysiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D010276:Parasympatholytics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014701:Veratridine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001496:Batrachotoxins; D007211:Indoles; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D010276:Parasympatholytics; D011725:Pyridines; D015222:Sodium Channels; D014701:Veratridine; C074872:besipirdine; D012964:Sodium; D002118:Calcium; D009638:Norepinephrine