title: Ibudilast reduces intracellular calcium elevation induced by in vitro ischaemia in gerbil hippocampal slices.
abstract: 1. A microfluorometry was carried out to investigate the effect of 3-isobutyryl-2-isopropylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine (ibudilast) on changes in levels of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) induced by in vitro ischaemia in the CA1 field of gerbil hippocampal slices. 2. When slices, loaded with a calcium ion sensitive dye (rhod-2) were exposed to a glucose-free physiological medium equilibrated with a 95% N2/5% CO2 gas mixture (standard in vitro ischaemia), a large [Ca2+]i elevation was detected approximately 5 min after the beginning of in vitro ischaemia. 3. When slices were perfused with the in vitro ischaemic medium containing 43 mumol/L ibudilast, a [Ca2+]i elevation was still observed; however, the extent of the increase in [Ca2+]i was significantly depressed in all subregions of the hippocampal slices. 4. The extent of this inhibitory effect of ibudilast on the in vitro ischaemia-induced [Ca2+]i elevation was in a similar range as those of Ca2+ blockers, including (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cycloheptan-5,10-imine maleate (MK-801), flunarizine and dantrolene. 5. Similar [Ca2+]i increases in the CA1 field were induced by a Ca(2+)-free in vitro ischaemia, a high concentration of KCl or by specific agonists for glutamate receptor subtypes (N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), (s)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) and kainate); these increases were also depressed with 43 mumol/L ibudilast present in the perfusion medium. 6. These results indicate that ibudilast may act by depressing the Ca2+ accumulation during and shortly after ischaemia, a possible pharmacological action of ibudilast that leads to the amelioration of ischaemic injury in the central nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Ehime University, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yanase
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitani
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kataoka
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007511:Ischemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007212:Indolizines; D011720:Pyrazoles
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D011725:Pyridines; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; C038366:ibudilast; D007212:Indolizines; D011720:Pyrazoles