title: Actions of R- and S-verapamil and nifedipine on rat vascular and intestinal smooth muscle.
abstract: 1 We have investigated the actions of the calcium entry blockers nifedipine, R-verapamil and S-verapamil in rat aorta, colon and vas deferens. 2 In aorta and colon, these agents produced concentration-dependent relaxations of KCl (80 mM)-induced contractions. In both tissues, the order of potency was nifedipine > S-verapamil > R-verapamil. However, nifedipine showed selectivity for aorta (potency ratio, colon/aorta: 4.36), S-verapamil showed no selectivity (0.62), but R-verapamil showed selectivity for colon (0.19). 3 In prostatic portions of rat vas deferens, nifedipine (10 microM) abolished the contraction to a single electrical stimulus, but R- and S-verapamil were without effect. In epididymal portions of rat vas deferens, R- and S-verapamil inhibited alpha1-adrenoceptor-mediated contractions to a single electrical stimulus at concentrations of 10 microM and above. 4 In conclusion, R-verapamil may prove useful as an intestinal selective calcium entry blocker in the treatment of intestinal disease with a hypermotility component, e.g. irritable bowel syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 123 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cleary
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vandeputte
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Docherty
mesh_terms: D058668:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists; D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000187:drug effects; D014700:Verapamil / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D058668:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D014700:Verapamil; D009543:Nifedipine