title: Linalool suppresses voltage-gated currents in sensory neurons and cerebellar Purkinje cells.
abstract: Linalool is a major component of essential oils and possesses various biological effects in sensory or central nervous systems. To investigate the pharmacological and biophysical effects of linalool on voltage-gated currents in sensory neurons, we used the whole-cell patch clamp and the Ca(2+) imaging techniques. Under the voltage clamp, membrane depolarization generated time- and voltage-dependent current responses in newt olfactory receptor cells (ORCs). Linalool significantly and reversibly suppressed the voltage-gated currents in ORCs. The dose-suppression relation of linalool for the voltage-gated Na(+) current could be fitted by the Hill equation with a half-blocking concentration of 0.56 mM and a Hill coefficient of 1.2. To test whether linalool suppresses voltage-gated currents in ORCs specifically or suppresses currents in other neurons generally, we next examined the effects of linalool on voltage-gated currents in newt retinal neurons and rat cerebellar Purkinje cells. Linalool suppressed the voltage-gated currents not only in retinal horizontal cells and ganglion cells but also in Purkinje cells. Furthermore, bath application of linalool inhibited the KCl-induced [Ca(2+)](i) response of ORCs, suggesting that linalool suppresses Ca(2+) currents in ORCs. These results suggest that linalool non-selectively suppresses the voltage-gated currents in newt sensory neurons and rat cerebellar Purkinje cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Narusuye
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miyachi
mesh_terms: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology*; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012455:Salamandridae
chemical_list: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D015220:Calcium Channels; D007473:Ion Channels; D039821:Monoterpenes; C018584:linalool