[The effect of tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosidium on the compound action potential of skeletal muscle in experimental animals with myasthenia gravis].
OBJECTIVE
To observe and analyze the direct effect of tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosidium (TWP) on the activity of skeletal muscle in experimental animals with myasthenia gravis (EAMG).


METHODS
C57BL/6 mice were used. After sieving EAMG animals, we observed and compared the variation of the attenuation percentage of compound action potential of gastrocnemius muscle and pronator teres muscle of EAMG before and after the muscle specimens being immersed in the breeding ground of TWP solution. Such variation of attenuation percentage was taken as an indicator of the direct effect of TWP on skeletal muscle.


RESULTS
1. Evident influence of TWP on the attenuation percentage of compound action potential of gastrocnemius muscle was observed (P < 0.05), and apparent decrease of the attenuation percentage could be seen one and a half hours after the muscle was immersed [(14 +/- 36)% before treatment, (-40 +/- 24)% after treatment]; 2. The influence of TWP on the attenuation percentage of compound action potential of pronator teres muscle was noted (P < 0.05), and an apparent decline of the attenuation percentage could be observed one and a half hours after the muscle was immersed[(17 +/- 25)% before treatment, (-17 +/- 10)% after treatment]; 3. There was no distinctive difference between the gastrocnemius muscle and pronator teres muscle in respect of their attenuation percentages of compound action potential.


CONCLUSIONS
TWP has direct remedial effect on the activity of skeletal muscle of EAMG.
Wang
Tao
T
Department of Physiology, West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Zhang
Yun
Y
Lü
Guang-neng
GN
Li
Ke-yong
KY
Xu
Jian-guo
JG
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D029757:Tripterygium / Q000737:chemistry
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal