[Effect of calmodulin inhibitors on the contraction and relaxation of the heart muscle]

The calmodulin inhibitor trifluoroperazine (5 microM) diminished the velocity of contraction and relaxation of the guinea-pig papillary muscle by 31 and 53%, respectively. Methophenazine showed approximately the same affinity to both calmodulin and trifluoroperazine and nearly 40-fold less affinity to troponin. Methophenazine (5 microM) did not change the contraction velocity and diminished the relaxation velocity ty 21%. It is suggested that calmodulin participates mainly in the control of myocardial relaxation.

[Effect of neurotropic drugs on calmodulin and troponin C-dependent processes]

The effects of neurotropic compounds on Ca-binding proteins (calmodulin, troponin C) were investigated. It was shown that the majority of neuroleptics of the phenothiazine group effectively interact with the both proteins and inhibit calmodulin-dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase and Ca2+-activated actomyosin. ATPase. Neuroleptics of the butyrophenone group as well as imipramine and diphenehydramine having a low efficiency interact only with calmodulin. Methophenazine, a phenothiazine neuroleptic, being an effective inhibitor of calmodulin and of calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase, does not influence troponin C or Ca-dependent actomyosin ATPase. Therefore, this compound may be used as a convenient tool in the study of processes controlled by these Ca-binding proteins. It is concluded that troponin C possesses Ca-dependent sites which bind pharmacological agents structurally similar to that of calmodulin. However, these sites bind pharmacological agents with a low efficiency and exhibit selectivity towards certain drugs. Despite the obvious homology of the both Ca-binding proteins, i.e., calmodulin, troponin C, their effects on the processes under their control appear to be selective.

Cimetidine inhibition of ethmozine metabolism

Ethmozine, a phenothiazine antiarrhythmic, is effective in atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Because of the extensive hepatic metabolism of ethmozine, we investigated the effects of the potent hepatic enzyme inhibitor cimetidine on the kinetics and dynamics of ethmozine. Eight healthy men 22 to 40 years old (means = 27.6 years) received a single, oral, 500 mg dose of ethmozine. Ethmozine dosing was repeated 15 days later after cimetidine, 300 mg four times a day for 7 days. Plasma samples were drawn over the next 24 hours for measurement of ethmozine. ECGs were obtained 1, 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours after each dose. After cimetidine, ethmozine clearance fell from 38.2 +/- 10.7 to 19.7 +/- 4.2 ml/kg/min and the t1/2 increased from 3.3 +/- 1.3 to 4.6 +/- 1.6 hours. Ethmozine prolonged the PR and QRS intervals, but there was no detectable further increase after cimetidine. Heart rate and blood pressure were not altered by ethmozine either alone or in the combination. We conclude that cimetidine increases plasma concentrations of ethmozine but did not induce any detectable further increase in the PR or QRS intervals.

The metabolism of phenothiazine in the neonatal calf: identification of drug-polypeptide conjugates from urine

The presence of a polypeptide conjugate fraction in the urine of young calves after oral dosing with phenothiazine has been confirmed. Four different polypeptide conjugates, containing up to six amino acids attached to phenothiazine or leucophenothiazone via the carboxyl terminal of the chain, have been isolated, characterized and sequenced. In addition, several minor polypeptide conjugates have been observed. The literature pertaining to polypeptide conjugates of drugs has been reviewed and the importance of this metabolic route in neonatal animals discussed.

Phenolic metabolites of thioridazine in man

After oral administration of thioridazine or mesoridazine to man, faecal extracts contained mainly unconjugated 7-hydroxy-thioridazine and its demethylated analogue, together with some 3-hydroxy-thioridazine, and 7-hydroxy derivatives of sulphoridazine and desmethyl sulphoridazine. In contrast, urine contained free 7-hydroxy-mesoridazine, and no free 7-hydroxy-thioridazine was detectable. Conjugates of all these phenols were also found. After oral sulphoridazine administration (thioridazine side-chain sulphone), urine contained mainly 7-hydroxy-sulphoridazine and faeces both 7-hydroxy-sulphoridazine and its desmethyl analogue. Sulphoridazine metabolism is therefore much simpler than that of thioridazine. This different elimination pattern in faeces and urine may be due to reduction of sulphoxides but not sulphones by intestinal bacteria.

Assessment of the potential pharmacokinetic interaction between digoxin and ethmozine

The potential for a pharmacokinetic interaction between the investigational antiarrhythmic drug ethmozine (moricizine HCl, the generic name that is infrequently used in existing literature) and digoxin was evaluated in nine healthy male adults. Serum and urinary digoxin concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay following intravenous digoxin administration before and during steady-state ethmozine dosing. Plasma ethmozine levels following a single oral dose were measured before and after a single intravenous dose of digoxin. A mean elimination half-life of 45.6 hours was determined for digoxin alone, compared to 43.1 hours in combination with ethmozine. Average values for digoxin systemic clearance, apparent volume of distribution, and renal clearance were 2.87 mL/min/kg, 11.3 L/kg, and 2.44 mL/min/kg, respectively for digoxin alone, compared to 3.01 mL/min/kg, 11.3 L/kg, and 2.64 mL/min/kg, respectively for digoxin with ethmozine. A mean half-life of 2.0 hours was determined for ethmozine alone, compared with 1.8 hours following a single intravenous dose of digoxin. No change was observed in the oral pharmacokinetics of ethmozine following a single intravenous dose of digoxin, as indicated by the area under the plasma concentration versus time curve, Cmax or Tmax. These findings suggest that no pharmacokinetic interaction occurs when single intravenous doses of digoxin are co-administered with multiple oral doses of ethmozine.

[Binding of iron ions by shielding eye pigments of vertebrates and invertebrates--melanosomes and ommochromes]

Melanosomas of eye pigment epithelium tissue of vertebrates, synthetic DOPA-melanin and ommochromas from eye of invertebrates bind effectively bivalent iron ions. Constants of the binding process are calculated. Endogenic iron concentration in melanosomas of the frog eye pigment epithelium is determined. A conclusion is drawn that mechanism of antioxidation action of shielding eye pigments may include Fe2+ ion binding into inactive components.

Calmodulin and rat vitamin D-dependent calcium-binding proteins: biochemical and immunochemical comparison

Purified vitamin D-dependent rat intestinal (Mr 10,000) and rat renal (Mr 28,000) calcium-binding proteins (CaBPs) have been compared to vertebrate calmodulin, and the vitamin D-dependent CaBPs have been found to be distinct from calmodulin by biochemical and immunochemical criteria. Rat renal and rat intestinal CaBPs do not stimulate 3',5'-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, do not compete with iodinated calmodulin for binding to phenothiazine-Sepharose conjugates, do not cross-react immunochemically, and do not contain N epsilon-trimethyllysine. In addition, although calmodulin exhibits a characteristic calcium-dependent mobility shift on polyacrylamide gels in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, a similar mobility shift is not observed for the vitamin D-dependent CaBPs. Immunocytochemically, calmodulin has a widespread localization in the kidney, whereas CaBP is present specifically in the distal tubules of the kidney. These localizations suggest a specialized role for CaBP in the kidney. Thus, although the vitamin D-dependent CaBPs and calmodulin are similar in that they are small, acidic, calcium-binding proteins, these two classes of proteins are biochemically and immunochemically distinct.

Permissive role of calcium in the inhibition of T cell mitogenesis by calmodulin antagonists

The importance of Ca++ in the initiation of lymphocyte activation and mitogenesis has been supported by several studies. Because calmodulin functions as the intracellular mediator of the effects of Ca++, it likely plays a major role in the regulation of lymphocyte function. We have examined the effects of known calmodulin antagonists, the phenothiazines, on lectin-induced T cell mitogenesis and have shown a central role for Ca++ uptake in the expression of a phenothiazine-sensitive stage after lectin activation. The drug effects were observed only if the cells were previously activated by PHA or the ionophore A23187, and only in the presence of Ca++. These effects were restricted to a defined time period (5 hr) after lectin activation. The data support the concept that calmodulin is the target for the phenothiazine effects and demonstrate the permissive role of Ca++ in the mediation of these events.

Temperature dependence of the binding of [3H]mepyramine and related compounds to the histamine H1 receptor

The extent of the promethazine-sensitive binding of [3H]mepyramine to a washed fraction from guinea pig cerebellum was little altered between 4 degrees and 30 degrees. The dissociation of [3H]mepyramine from the H1 receptor was markedly temperature-sensitive. An Arrhenius plot of the variation of the dissociation rate constant, k-1, with temperature was linear over the range 37 degrees -15 degrees (E alpha = 160 kJ mole-1). The association rate constant, k1, was also temperature-dependent, and an Arrhenius plot approximated well to a straight line between 30 degrees and 15 degrees (E alpha = 112 kJ mole-1). The linear relationship may hold down to 4 degrees. A consequence of the slow dissociation at 4 degrees is that the IC50 for mepyramine inhibition of promethazine-sensitive [3H]mepyramine binding at 4 degrees is independent of the concentration of [3H]mepyramine if the cerebellar homogenate is first incubated with the nonradioactive antagonist before addition of the 3H-ligand. Promethazine binding showed a temperature dependence similar to that of mepyramine, and for both antagonists and for chlorpromazine the affinity constant was not greatly increased (equal to or less than a factor of 2) at 4 degrees compared with 30 degrees. Tripelennamine showed a more rapid dissociation at 4 degrees than the other antagonists. Mequitazine dissociated slowly at 4 degrees, but the affinity constant was lower at 4 degrees than at 30 degrees.

On the long acting gastric antisecretory activity of LM 24056 a non H2 antagonist

LM 24056, a phenothiazine derivative with no central effects, can be classified as a non anti H2 antisecretory agent with a long duration of action. Its activity was demonstrated orally at low dose in pentagastrin stimulated Shay rat and in Heidenhain pouch in dog against gastrin, pentagastrin, carbachol and test meal. LM 24056 possesses very weak affinity to muscarinic receptors in vitro and in vivo. It has negligible anticholinergic properties in rats and mice at the peripheral level but no effect at the central level. The long lasting antisecretory action of LM 24056 may be supported by the persistent presence in plasma of a desmethyl metabolite at higher concentrations than that of LM 24056 at any time. Contrary to LM 24056 sulfoxide and LM 24056 sulfone, desmethyl LM 24056 is a more potent antisecretory drug than LM 24056. Desmethyl LM 24056 possesses more marked affinity to peripheral muscarinic receptor than LM 24056. As the administration of therapeutic doses of LM 24056 was not followed by anticholinergic side-effects, it may be suggested that LM 24056 activity is related to a "prodrug like effect". Finally the activity of LM 24056 may be related to LM 24056 itself and/or a desmethyl metabolite.

Interactions between calmodulin and immobilized phenothiazines

The ability of a number of antipsychotic drugs such as phenothiazines to bind to calmodulin with high affinity in a calcium-dependent manner was applied to the study of the nature of their interactions with calmodulin. Thus, a series of phenothiazine derivatives and analogues were immobilized on agarose and examined for their binding characteristics to calmodulin. The binding of calmodulin to fluphenazine, perphenazine and 7-aminotriflupromazine involved on the one hand non-specific electrostatic interactions which are abolished by increasing the eluent salt concentration, and on the other hand, Ca2+-dependent interactions which are reversed by EGTA addition. However, the Ca2+-dependent binding of calmodulin was less specific with phenothiazine structural analogues (neutral Red, diphenylamine) and was suppressed with other phenothiazine derivatives (thionine, Azure C, Toluidine Blue) or analogues (Brilliant Cresyl Blue). It is suggested that the calcium-dependent interactions between calmodulin and drugs involve a charge transfer pi-pi interaction which may be modulated by the electron donor-acceptor properties of the substituents of the aromatic ring. Affinity chromatography using immobilized fluphenazine was also used as the basis for the purification of calmodulin from a number of tissues in a rapid one-step procedure.

Calmodulin: an overview

Calmodulin is a 16,700-dalton Ca2+-binding protein ubiquitous in the eukaryotes. It has no intrinsic enzymatic activity, but it regulates a wide spectrum of enzymes that control many basic cellular processes, ranging from the metabolism of cyclic nucleotides, Ca2+, and glycogen to contractile activity and stimulus-secretion coupling. Mounting evidence now indicates that calmodulin is the major intracellular Ca2+ receptor that remained elusive despite three decades of extensive work by many investigators.

[Pharmacological study of Mequitazine (LM-209). (V). Pharmacological actions of a main metabolite of LM-209, mequitazine sulfoxide (LM-209 SO) (author's transl)]

The pharmacological action of a main metabolite of Mequitazine (LM-209), Mequitazine sulfoxide (LM-209 SO), was compared with data on LM-209 to investigate whether LM-209 is metabolized in vivo to the active form and if it has pharmacological actions. In the excised ileum of guinea-pigs, the anti-histaminic and anti-cholinergic activities of LM-209 SO were about 1/8 and 1/20, respectively, of LM-209. The protective activity of LM-209 SO on sudden death induced by histamine in mice was about 1/2.5 of LM-209. Acute toxicity of LM-209 SO given orally to mice was 1/3 of LM-209. In the EEG of rabbits, LM-209 SO did not affect the spontaneous pattern or the arousal and recruiting responses. The mydriatic and local anesthetic activities of LM-209 SO were significantly less than those of LM-209. Thus, the pharmacological activities and toxicity of LM-209 SO were significantly less potent than those of LM-209.