title: Genistein and changes of resting and action potentials in Conocephalum conicum.
abstract: Genistein (4',5,7-trixydroxyflavone) is a member of the family of plant flavonoids that widely occurs in crop plants. It is involved in a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities, and is suggested to have anti-cancer dietary properties. Cell membranes are one of the targets of anti-cancer drugs. In the present study, we used the liverwort Conocephalum conicum as a model plant in an electrophysiological study. Intracellular microelectrode measurements were carried out to examine the effects of genistein alone and in combination with verapamil on resting and action potentials. The application of isoflavone genistein resulted in a statistically significant elevation in action potential amplitudes. An increase of 13-62% compared with the control was noted. An increase was also found in the membrane resting potentials in genistein-treated plants. Verapamil, the known calcium channel inhibitor, caused a gradual decline of AP amplitudes, whereas preincubation of Conocephalum thalli with genistein prevented inhibition of APs by verapamil. It is concluded that genistein strongly affects the membranes, and the effect of genistein in canceling the activity of verapamil is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Anatomy and Anthropology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, ul. Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland. bozka1996@o2.pl
authors.forename: Bozena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pawlikowska-Pawlega
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Król
authors.forename: Kazimierz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Trebacz
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gawron
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D019833:Genistein / Q000494:pharmacology*; D035926:Hepatophyta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008027:Light; D012015:Reference Standards; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014700:Verapamil; D019833:Genistein