title: [Effects of glycyrrhetinic acid on sodium ion channel currents of rats' ventricular myocardial cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) on the sodium ion channel currents (I(Na)) of rats' ventricular myocardial cells, and to explore its anti-arrhythmic mechanisms at the ion channel level.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single ventricular myocardial cells was isolated from SD rats. The whole cell patch clamp was used to record the effects of GA on I(Na) of rats' ventricular myocardial cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GA could inhibit I(Na) of rats' ventricular myocardial cells dose-dependently. GA at 1, 5, and 10 micromol/L decreased I(Na) of rats' ventricular myocardial cells from (-4.26 +/- 0.15) nA to (-3.54 +/- 0.10) nA, (-2.19 +/- 0.09) nA, and (-1.25 +/- 0.08) nA, respectively. GA at 1, 5, and 10 micromol/L inhibited I(Na) by 16.08% +/- 2.3%, 50.82% +/- 3.56%, and 75.98% +/- 5.12%, showing statistical difference when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). GA at 10 micromol/L shifted I(Na) current-voltage curve more positively, but the activation potential and the peak potential were not changed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GA inhibited the I(Na) of rats' ventricular myocardial cells dose-dependently, which was possibly associated with its antiarrhythmia effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Beijing. whjyuanzhang@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Ji-Yuan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hong-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: De-Lin
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015222:Sodium Channels; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid