title: Effects of Liuwei Dihuang decoction on ion channels and synaptic transmission in cultured hippocampal neuron of rat.
abstract: The effect of Liuwei Dihuang decoction (LW), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, on voltage-dependent currents and synaptic transmission were investigated in cultured hippocampal neurons of rat by whole-cell patch clamp recording technique. After application with serum from LW-treated rats, termed LW-containing serum (LWCS) for 48 h, the amplitude of delay rectifying K+ current (IK) and voltage-gated Ca2+ current (ICa) decreased. While the frequency of spontaneous excitatory post-synaptic current (sEPSC) and miniature excitatory post-synaptic current (mEPSC) increased significantly. Yet the amplitude of voltage-depended Na+ current (INa) and transient outward K+ current (IA), membrane capacitance and resistance remained unchanged. The results indicated that LWCS possessed the effect of modulating or improving neuronal and synaptic function, which possibly contribute to the cognition enhancing effect of LW.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Wenxia
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yongxiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Cunyu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Yimin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051668:Delayed Rectifier Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D025802:Electric Capacitance; D017097:Electric Impedance; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D044967:Serum / Q000378:metabolism; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D051668:Delayed Rectifier Potassium Channels; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007473:Ion Channels; C042579:Liuwei Dihuang Decoction; D015222:Sodium Channels