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Planta Med 1993; 59(3): 229-231
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-959657
Paper

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

A Study of Glaucine-Induced Relaxation of Rat Aorta

Isabel Loza1 , 2 , Francisco Orallo1 , Ignacio Verde1 , José Gil-Longo1 , Isabel Cadavid1 , José M. Calleja1
  • 1Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Santiago, E-15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
  • 2Address for correspondence
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Publication History

1992

1992

Publication Date:
04 January 2007 (online)

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Abstract

The vasorelaxant effect of glaucine, the major alkaloid of Platycapnos spicata (L.) Bernh., was studied. At concentrations of 10 µM-0.3 mM in normal Krebs solution it was almost equieffective in relaxing K+-induced and noradrenaline-induced tension in rat aortic rings without endothelium, with IC50 values of 160 ± 16 µM and 90 ± 14 µM respectively. In experiments in a calcium-free medium, 10 µM glaucine strongly inhibited noradrenaline-induced contractions. Glaucine (0.3 mM) did not affect basal uptake of 45Ca, but induced uptake was reduced to 100% (K+) and 97.7% (noradrenaline) of the basal value. These results suggest that glaucine has an intracellular effect and also acts on the cell membrane by blocking voltage-dependent and receptor-operated calcium channels.

Key words

Glaucine - Platycapnos spicata - relaxing-effect - 45Ca influx - rat aorta.