Antinociceptive effect of cilnidipine, a novel N-type calcium channel antagonist.
We investigated the antinociceptic effects of cilnidipine, a dihydropyridine derivative which acts on both L- and N-type voltage-dependent calcium channels, in mice. Intrathecally injected cilnidipine showed significant analgesic effect in formalin test. Cilnidipine significantly suppressed N-type currents in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells. Our findings apparently support the idea that cilnidipine attenuates synaptic neurotransmission by inhibiting N-type calcium channels in DRG neurons.
Murakami
M
M
Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Seiryomachi, Aobaku, 980-8575, Sendai, Japan. mmura@mail.cc.tohoku.ac.jp
Nakagawasai
O
O
Fujii
S
S
Hosono
M
M
Hozumi
S
S
Esashi
A
A
Taniguchi
R
R
Okamura
T
T
Suzuki
T
T
Sasano
H
H
Yanagisawa
T
T
Tan-no
K
K
Tadano
T
T
Kitamura
K
K
Kisara
K
K
D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020864:Calcium Channels, N-Type / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004095:Dihydropyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009529:Nicardipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000187:drug effects*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D020864:Calcium Channels, N-Type; D004095:Dihydropyridines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C065927:cilnidipine; D009529:Nicardipine