title: Selective modulation of L-type calcium current by magnesium lithospermate B in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes.
abstract: Magnesium lithospermate B (MLB) is the main water-soluble principle of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix (also called as 'Danshen' in the traditional Chinese medicine) for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. MLB was found to possess a variety of pharmacological actions. However, it is unclear whether and how MLB affects the cardiac ion channels. In the present study, the effects of MLB on the voltage-activated ionic currents were investigated in single ventricular myocytes of adult guinea pigs. MLB reversibly inhibited L-type Ca(2+) current (I(Ca,L)). The inhibition was use-dependent and voltage-dependent (the IC(50) value of MLB was 30 microM and 393 microM, respectively, at the holding potential of -50 mV and -100 mV). In the presence of 100 microM MLB, both the activation and steady-state inactivation curves of I(Ca,L) were markedly shifted to hyperpolarizing membrane potentials, whereas the time course of recovery of I(Ca,L) from inactivation was not altered. MLB up to 300 microM had no significant effect on the fast-inactivating Na(+) current (I(Na)), delayed rectifier K(+) current (I(K)) and inward rectifier K(+) current (I(K1)). The results suggest that the voltage-dependent Ca(2+) antagonistic effect of MLB work in concert with its antioxidant action for attenuating heart ischemic injury.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu-Chong-Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guo-Yuan
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yi-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D015222:Sodium Channels; C061091:lithospermate B