[Protective effect of Uncaria rhynchophylla total alkaloids pretreatment on hippocampal neurons after acute hypoxia].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of Uncaria rhynchophylla total alkaloids (RTA) pretreatment on the voltage-gated sodium currents of the rat hippocampal neurons after acute hypoxia.


METHODS
Primary cultured hippocampal neurons were divided into RTA pre-treated and non-pretreated groups. Patch clamp whole-cell recording was used to compare the voltage-gated sodium current amplitude and threshold with those before hypoxia.


RESULTS
After acute hypoxia, sodium current amplitude was significantly decreased and its threshold was upside. RTA pretreatment could inhibit the reduction of sodium current amplitude.


CONCLUSIONS
RTA pretreatment alleviates the acute hypoxia-induced change of sodium currents, which may be one of the mechanisms for protective effect of RTA on cells.
Liu
Wei
W
The 88th Hospital of PLA, Tai'an, China. liutrunk@yahoo.com
Zhang
Zhao-qin
ZQ
Zhao
Xiao-min
XM
Gao
Yun-sheng
YS
D000470:Alkaloids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D032070:Uncaria / Q000737:chemistry
D000470:Alkaloids; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D015221:Potassium Channels; D015222:Sodium Channels