title: Natural modulators of large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels.
abstract: Large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels, also known as BK or Maxi-K channels, occur in many types of cell, including neurons and myocytes, where they play an essential role in the regulation of cell excitability and function. These properties open a possible role for BK-activators (also called BK-openers) and/or BK-blockers as effective therapeutic agents for different neurological, urological, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The synthetic benzimidazolone derivatives NS004 and NS1619 are the pioneer BK-activators and have represented the reference models which led to the design of several novel and heterogeneous synthetic BK-openers, while very few synthetic BK-blockers have been reported. Even today, the research towards identifying new BK-modulating agents is proceeding with great impetus and is giving an ever-increasing number of new molecules. Among these, also a handsome number of natural BK-modulator compounds, belonging to different structural classes, has appeared in the literature. The goal of this paper is to provide a possible simple classification of the broad structural heterogeneity of the natural BK-activating agents (terpenes, phenols, flavonoids) and blockers (alkaloids and peptides), and a concise overview of their chemical and pharmacological properties as well as potential therapeutic applications.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nardi
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Calderone
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chericoni
authors.forename: Ivano
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Morelli
mesh_terms: D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002733:Chlorophenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001562:Benzimidazoles; D002733:Chlorophenols; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated; C086491:NS 1619; C014353:benzimidazolone; C083230:NS 004