Nuciferine Relaxes Tracheal Rings via the Blockade of VDLCC and NSCC Channels

Xiao Yang; Meng-Fei Yu; Jun Lei; Yong-Bo Peng; Ping Zhao; Lu Xue; Weiwei Chen; Li-Qun Ma; Qing-Hua Liu; Jinhua Shen

doi:10.1055/s-0043-118178

Planta Medica, Table of Contents

Planta Med 2018; 84(02): 83-90
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-118178

Biological and Pharmacological Activity

Original Papers

Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Nuciferine Relaxes Tracheal Rings via the Blockade of VDLCC and NSCC Channels

Authors

Xiao Yang^*

Institute for Medical Biology and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plant Germplasm in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
Meng-Fei Yu^*

Institute for Medical Biology and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plant Germplasm in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
Jun Lei^*

Institute for Medical Biology and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plant Germplasm in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
Yong-Bo Peng

Institute for Medical Biology and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plant Germplasm in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
Ping Zhao

Institute for Medical Biology and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plant Germplasm in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
Lu Xue

Institute for Medical Biology and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plant Germplasm in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
Weiwei Chen

Institute for Medical Biology and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plant Germplasm in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
Li-Qun Ma

Institute for Medical Biology and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plant Germplasm in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
Qing-Hua Liu

Institute for Medical Biology and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plant Germplasm in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
Jinhua Shen

Institute for Medical Biology and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plant Germplasm in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China

Abstract

This study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms of nuciferine (a main aporphine alkaloid of lotus leaf extract), which can induce relaxation in contracted tracheal rings. Under Ca²⁺-free and 2 mM Ca²⁺ conditions, we found that nuciferine had no effect on the resting muscle tone of tracheal rings. In contrast, nuciferine relaxed high K⁺-contracted mouse tracheal rings in a dose-dependent manner and inhibited both Ca²⁺ influx and voltage-dependent L-type Ca²⁺ channel currents induced by high K⁺. Similarly, nuciferine also inhibited acetylcholine-induced contractions in mouse tracheal rings in a dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, both acetylcholine-induced intracellular Ca²⁺ influx and whole-cell currents of nonselective cation channels were blocked by nuciferine. Together, the results indicate that nuciferine-induced relaxation in tracheal rings mainly occurred due to the inhibition of extracellular Ca²⁺ influx through the blockade of voltage-dependent L-type Ca²⁺ channels and/or nonselective cation channels. These results suggest that nuciferine has a therapeutic effect on respiratory diseases associated with the aberrant contraction of airway smooth muscles and/or bronchospasm.

Key words

airway smooth muscle - asthma - Ca²⁺ influx - nuciferine - relaxation - voltage-dependent L-type Ca²⁺ channel

Full Text

References

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