Biomaterial Database

Effect of dantrolene sodium on excitation-contraction coupling of frog toe muscle. 1976

I Homma, and S Kurihara, and T Sakai

Dantrolene sodium (1.0 to 10.0 mug/ml) inhibited twitch tension, tetanus tension, and contracture induced by potassium and low concentration of caffeine in the frog toe muscles. The drug also inhibited rapid cooling contracture (RCC), i.e., contracture caused by rapidly cooling the muscle from room temperature to 0 degrees C after immersing it in Ringer's solution containing a subthreshold concentration of caffein. The drug also suppressed RCC in depolarized muscle fibres which were treated with high concentration of potassium. Comparing the effect of the drug on twitches augmented with nitrate and with caffeine, the former was more markedly inhibited than the latter. On the basis of these results, the possibility that the drug acts mainly by inhibiting the movement of "trigger calcium" which in turn releases calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum is discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009119	Muscle Contraction	A process leading to shortening and/or development of tension in muscle tissue. Muscle contraction occurs by a sliding filament mechanism whereby actin filaments slide inward among the myosin filaments.	Inotropism,Muscular Contraction,Contraction, Muscle,Contraction, Muscular,Contractions, Muscle,Contractions, Muscular,Inotropisms,Muscle Contractions,Muscular Contractions
D009129	Muscle Tonus	The state of activity or tension of a muscle beyond that related to its physical properties, that is, its active resistance to stretch. In skeletal muscle, tonus is dependent upon efferent innervation. (Stedman, 25th ed)	Muscle Tension,Muscle Tightness,Muscular Tension,Tension, Muscle,Tension, Muscular,Tightness, Muscle,Tonus, Muscle
D009132	Muscles	Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals.	Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D009566	Nitrates	Inorganic or organic salts and esters of nitric acid. These compounds contain the NO3- radical.	Nitrate
D011188	Potassium	An element in the alkali group of metals with an atomic symbol K, atomic number 19, and atomic weight 39.10. It is the chief cation in the intracellular fluid of muscle and other cells. Potassium ion is a strong electrolyte that plays a significant role in the regulation of fluid volume and maintenance of the WATER-ELECTROLYTE BALANCE.
D011898	Ranidae	The family of true frogs of the order Anura. The family occurs worldwide except in Antarctica.	Frogs, True,Rana,Frog, True,True Frog,True Frogs
D002110	Caffeine	A methylxanthine naturally occurring in some beverages and also used as a pharmacological agent. Caffeine's most notable pharmacological effect is as a central nervous system stimulant, increasing alertness and producing agitation. It also relaxes SMOOTH MUSCLE, stimulates CARDIAC MUSCLE, stimulates DIURESIS, and appears to be useful in the treatment of some types of headache. Several cellular actions of caffeine have been observed, but it is not entirely clear how each contributes to its pharmacological profile. Among the most important are inhibition of cyclic nucleotide PHOSPHODIESTERASES, antagonism of ADENOSINE RECEPTORS, and modulation of intracellular calcium handling.	1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine,Caffedrine,Coffeinum N,Coffeinum Purrum,Dexitac,Durvitan,No Doz,Percoffedrinol N,Percutaféine,Quick-Pep,Vivarin,Quick Pep,QuickPep
D003080	Cold Temperature	An absence of warmth or heat or a temperature notably below an accustomed norm.	Cold,Cold Temperatures,Temperature, Cold,Temperatures, Cold
D003620	Dantrolene	Skeletal muscle relaxant that acts by interfering with excitation-contraction coupling in the muscle fiber. It is used in spasticity and other neuromuscular abnormalities. Although the mechanism of action is probably not central, dantrolene is usually grouped with the central muscle relaxants.	Dantrium,Dantrolene Sodium,Sodium, Dantrolene
D004558	Electric Stimulation	Use of electric potential or currents to elicit biological responses.	Stimulation, Electric,Electrical Stimulation,Electric Stimulations,Electrical Stimulations,Stimulation, Electrical,Stimulations, Electric,Stimulations, Electrical