Puerarin inhibits tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium current in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons.
OBJECTIVE
To test if puerarin (Pue) affects slow sodium current in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons.


METHODS
Tetrodotoxin resistant (TTXr) sodium current was recorded with whole cell patch clamp technique on DRG neurons of young adult rats.


RESULTS
Pue 0.01-2 mmol.L-1 inhibited TTXr sodium current by 9.5%-83.2%. The inhibition was concentration-dependent and partially reversible, but was not use-dependent nor voltage-dependent. Pue did not affect the inactivation but changed the potential for half maximal conductance from -26 mV to -16 mV, suggesting the activation process was inhibited.


CONCLUSIONS
Pue moderately inhibits TTXr sodium current of rat DRG neurons.
Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, China.
H L
HL
Ji
T Y
TY
Wang
D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000187:drug effects*; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
D007529:Isoflavones; D015222:Sodium Channels; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; C033607:puerarin