ABSTRACT
1. The present study was undertaken to investigate effects of Ba2+ on the isolated frog lung strips depolarized by 20 mM K+ in Ca2+ free Ringer solution. 2. Ba2+ produced monophasic relaxant response, whereas Ca2+ induced biphasic response consisting of a transient relaxation and a marked contraction. Both kinds of relaxation were inhibited completely by L-NOARG. L-arginine reversed the action of L-NOARG. 3. Ferrous sulfate, pyrogallol, hydroquinone, and vanadate reduced the Ba(2+)-induced relaxation in a concentration-dependent manner. 4. These findings suggest that Ba(+)-induced relaxation may fully be mediated by the nitrergic mechanism and the effect of Ba2+ on the nitric oxide synthase may be more selective than Ca2+.
Subject(s)
Barium/pharmacology , Lung/drug effects , Nitric Oxide Synthase/metabolism , Animals , Calcium Chloride/pharmacology , Female , Ferric Compounds/pharmacology , In Vitro Techniques , Lung/enzymology , Male , Membrane Potentials/drug effects , Muscle Contraction/drug effects , Muscle Relaxation/drug effects , Rana pipiensABSTRACT
The aim of the study was to investigate whether Na+ channels play a role in the twitch component of the response of the isolated frog rectus abdominis to Ca(2+)-free Ringer solution with 0.2 mM Na2EDTA by using tetrodotoxin and some other well known drugs that exhibit a blocking action on Na+ channels. In the presence of 5 x 10(-7) M tetrodotoxin, the twitch component, measured isotonically, disappeared. Although 10(-7) M d-tubocurarine was found to be ineffective, a complete blockage of twitch amplitude was observed at 5 x 10(-6) M concentration of the drug. The inhibitory action of d-tubocurarine on twitch response was not antagonized by 10(-6) and 10(-5) M carbachol. Propranolol (10(-6) - 10(-5) M), lidocaine (2 x 10(-6) - 10(-5) M), quinine (10(-6) - 2 x 10(-5) M) and quinidine (10(-6) - 2 x 10(-5) M) inhibited maximal twitch amplitude in a concentration dependent manner. These findings strongly suggest that activation of tetrodotoxin sensitive Na+ channel may play a primary role at twitch generation during exposure of the frog rectus abdominis to Ca(2+)-free Ringer solution with Na2 EDTA.
