title: Effect of crocin on intracellular calcium concentration in cultured bovine aortic smooth muscle cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of crocin on intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in cultured bovine aortic smooth muscle cells (BASMCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cells were loaded with fluorescence probe Fluo-3/AM and [Ca2+]i was measured by laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the presence or absence of extracellular Ca2+, crocin (1 x 10(-8), 1 x 10(-7), 1 x 10(-6) mol x L(-1)) concentration-dependently inhibited the [Ca2+]i elevation induced by 1 x 10(-2) mol x L(-1) H2O2 (for the former, the inhibition rates were 34.1%, 57.1% and 74.3%, while for the latter were 26.2%, 32.1%, 50.0%). In the absence of extracellular Ca2+, crocin (1 x 10(-8), 1 x 10(-7), 1 x 10(-6) mol x L(-1)) could inhibit the [Ca2+]i elevation induced by 70 mmol x L(-1) CHCl3, the inhibition rates were 27.8%, 27.8% and 50.0% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Crocin could inhibit the extracellular Ca2+ influx and release of intracellular Ca2+ stores in endoplasmic reticulum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China. heshuying66@sohu.com
authors.forename: Shu-ying
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Zhi-yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Fu-tian
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002725:Chloroform / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D032062:Gardenia / Q000737:chemistry; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000378:metabolism*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D002338:Carotenoids; D002725:Chloroform; C029036:crocin; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D002118:Calcium