• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2009

Purpose: Excessive scarring in the forms of keloid and hypertrophic scar could be a consquence of the accumulation of granulation tissue cells due to aberrant control of apoptosis. Verapamil retard extracelluar matrix production and inhibits VEGF production in primary cultured keloid fibroblast. The object of this study was effect of verapamil on VEGF expression and apoptosis in early wound scarring of the rabbit ear. Methods: Full thickness wounds were created on the ventral side of 6 New Zealand rabbits's ear. 16 days after initial wounding verapamil and saline were injected each scars and scars were harvested 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks later. The wounds were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, TUNEL stain, immunohistochemical stain for VEGF and calculated scar elevation index. Results: Histologic analaysis demonstrated significant reduction in inflammation, vascularity and improvement in dermal collagen organization in experimental group. In TUNEL staining apotosis positive cells were increased and immunohistochemial staining of VEGF demonstrated significant reduction of VEGF expression in experimental group. No significant difference was noted in scar elevation index between two groups. Conclusion: This study suggest that intralesional injection of verapamil on early wound scarring of the rabbit ear decreased VEGF production and increased apoptosis and have a benefit on the pathophysiology of scar formation.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 1995

Gastric smooth muscle of guinea pigs was used to investigate whether the inhibitory effect of calcium antagonists on tonic contraction was accompanied by inhibition of phospholipase C activity. Tonic contraction and $[^{3}H]$ inositol phosphate (IP) formation in response to acetylcholine were measured after pretreatment with verapamil, nifedipine, 8-(N,N-diethylamino)octyl 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzoate (TMB-8) or EGTA. Verapamil $(10\;{\mu}M)$, TMB-8 $(10\;{\mu}M)$ or EGTA (2 mM) significantly inhibited acetylcholine $(1\;{\mu}M)$-stimulated tonic contraction but nifedipine (100 nM) did not. Acetylcholine dose-dependently increased the formation of $[^{3}H]IP$. This effect was not observed in the presence of 2 mM EGTA. Both verapamil and TMB-8 significantly inhibited $[^{3}H]IP$ formation induced by $10\;{\mu}M$ acetylcholine, whereas nifedipine did not. In a subsequent study, we measured phospholipase C activity in gastric muscle cell homogenate and in permeabilized cells to determine whether calcium antagonists could inhibit the activity directly. The calcium antagonists did not change the phospholipase C activity of the cell homogenate or the permeabilized cells. But EGTA decreased phospholipase C activity by 50%. These results suggest that the inhibitory effects of verapamil and TMB-8 on acetylcholine-stimulated tonic contraction may be accompanied by inhibition of phospholipase C activity.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.119-124
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• 1997

Using isolated rat heart preparations, we observed the protective effe ts of verapamil cardioplegia on ischemic myocardial injury. Isolated rat hearts were subjected to global ischemia at $25^{\circ}C$ Twenty four isolated Sprague Dawley rat hearts underwent 30 minutes of the retrograde nonworking perfusion with Krebs-Henseleit buffer solution followed by $25^{\circ}C$ cardioplegic solution (St. Thomas'Hospital Cardioplegic Solution) for 60 minutes. Before ischemic arrest, rat hearts were treated with cold cardioplegic solution in control group (n=12) and cold cardioplegic solution with verapamil (1 mg/L) in experimental group (n=12). After 60 minutes of ischemia, hemodynamic and biochemical parameters such as heart rate, left ventricular pressure (LVP), + dp/dt max, coronary flow and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) were measured before giving cardioplegia and 30 minutes after reperfusion. Verapamil group exhibited greater recovery of heart rate, LVP, +dpldt max, coronary flow and CPK than control group (p < 0.05).

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.373-380
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• 1996

Recently we reported that GS 386, 1-(4'-methoxybenzyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-3,4-dihydroisoquinoline, inhibited amplitude of the $Ca^{2+}$ current by reducing the probability of $Ca^{2+}$ channel opening without changing channel kinetics in isolated rabbit atrial myocyte. In the present study, further investigation of the mechanism of action of GS 386 was performed using isolated rat trachealis. GS 386 concentration-dependently relaxed rat trachealis contracted by carbachol $(0.3{\mu}M)$ and high $K^+$(65.4 mM) with $IC_{50}$ 5.24 and 5.67 ${\mu}M$, respectively. Verapamil inhibited more effectively the high $K^+-contracted$ tissues than those with carbachol in the rat trachealis muscle. In $Ca^{2+}-free$ media, $Ca^{2+}-induced$ contraction was inhibited by GS 386. Furthermore, high concentration of GS 386 $(100{\mu}M)$ but not verapamil, attenuated a phasic contraction induced not only by carbachol but also caffeine, indicating that GS386 can enter into the cytoplasm where it may exert secondary actions on internal sites of the muscle, such as sarcoplasmic reticulum. Moreover, GS 386 showed verapamil-resistant component of relaxation and increased cAMP levels in rat trachal smooth muscle. These results suggest that the mechanism of action of GS 386 attributes to not only $Ca^{2+}$ antagonistic action but also weak phosphodiesterase inhibitory action.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.99-108
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• 1989

The effects of prostaglandin $(PGF_{2{\alpha}})$ on the contractility of vascular smooth muscle were investigated in the helical strip of the rabbit aorta. The aortic strip was immersed in the phosphate-buffered Tyrode's solution which was equilibrated with 100% $O_{2}$ at $35^{\circ}C$ and its isometric tension was measured. The contraction was induced by $(PGF_{2{\alpha}})$, norepinephrine (NE), or potassium (40 mM) in the nomal Tyrode's solution (1 mM, $Ca^{2+}$) or $Ca^{2+}-free$ Tyrode's solution. Effects of verapamil and phentolamine on the contraction were also observed. The aortic strip began to contract at the concentration of $5\;{\mu}g%$ and reached the maximal contraction at the concentration of $150\;{\mu}g%$ $(PGF_{2{\alpha}})$. The maximal contraction was corresponded respectively to $52.2{\pm}3.0%$ and $81.5{\pm}3.5%$ of maximal contraction by NE $(1{\times}10^{-5}M)$ and 40 mM $K^{+}$. And the maximal contractions by $(PGF_{2{\alpha}})$ or NE were induced at the concentration of about 1 mM $Ca^{2+}$. $(PGF_{2{\alpha}})$ induced the contraction of aortic strip even after induction of contraction by 40 mM $K^{+}$ and the contraction by $(PGF_{2{\alpha}})$ was not blocked by the ${\alpha}-receptor$ blocker, phentolamine. And the contraction by the $(PGF_{2{\alpha}})$ was inhibited partially by a verapamil at the concentration of $1{\times}10^{-5}M$ and the contraction began to increase at the concentration of $1{\times}10^{-4}M$ verapamil. Whereas the contraction by NE was completely blocked by verapamil. Though both the $(PGF_{2{\alpha}})$ and NE induced the contraction in the $Ca^{2+}-free$ Tyrode's solution, the peak tension was not maintained. But the rate of tension decline was lower in the contraction by $(PGF_{2{\alpha}})$ than in that by NE. The verapamil did not inhibit the contraction by $(PGF_{2{\alpha}})$ in the $Ca^{2+}-free$ Tyrode's solution and increased the contraction at the concentration of above $1{\times}10^{-4}M$. The NE-induced contraction in the $Ca^{2+}-free$ Tyrode's solution was inhibited completely by a verapamil. From the above results it is suggested that the contraction induced by $(PGF_{2{\alpha}})$ results from the promotion of the both $Ca^{2+}$ influx and the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release by different way from NE.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.199-205
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• 2016

This study aimed to investigate the in vivo relevance of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in the pharmacokinetics and adverse effect of phenformin. To investigate the involvement of P-gp in the transport of phenformin, a bi-directional transport of phenformin was carried out in LLC-PK1 cells overexpressing P-gp, LLC-PK1-Pgp. Basal to apical transport of phenformin was 3.9-fold greater than apical to basal transport and became saturated with increasing phenformin concentration ($2-75{\mu}M$) in LLC-PK1-Pgp, suggesting the involvement of P-gp in phenformin transport. Intrinsic clearance mediated by P-gp was $1.9{\mu}L/min$ while passive diffusion clearance was $0.31{\mu}L/min$. Thus, P-gp contributed more to phenformin transport than passive diffusion. To investigate the contribution of P-gp on the pharmacokinetics and adverse effect of phenformin, the effects of verapamil, a P-gp inhibitor, on the pharmacokinetics of phenformin were also examined in rats. The plasma concentrations of phenformin were increased following oral administration of phenformin and intravenous verapamil infusion compared with those administerd phenformin alone. Pharmacokinetic parameters such as $C_{max}$ and AUC of phenformin increased and CL/F and Vss/F decreased as a consequence of verapamil treatment. These results suggested that P-gp blockade by verapamil may decrease the phenformin disposition and increase plasma phenformin concentrations. P-gp inhibition by verapamil treatment also increased plasma lactate concentration, which is a crucial adverse event of phenformin. In conclusion, P-gp may play an important role in phenformin transport process and, therefore, contribute to the modulation of pharmacokinetics of phenformin and onset of plasma lactate level.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1993

It has been known that calcium antagonists also inhibit the radioligand binding to muscarinic and $\alpha$-adrenergic receptors and, in case of verapamil, these inhibitions may play a role in the effects of verapamil on the heart. In this study, the effects of nicardipine, nifedipine, nimodipine, diltiazem and verapamil on the binding of [$^3H$]dihydroalprenolol (DHA) to dog cardiac ${\beta}$-adrenergic receptors were examined. A single uniform [$^3H$]DHA binding site ($K_D/= 5nM\;and\;B_{max}=2600$ fmol/mg protein) was identified in dog cardiac sarcolemma. [$^3H$]DHA binding was not affected by the usual therapeutic concentrations of these calcium antagonists (nanomolar range) but in the "nonspecific"concentration ranges ($28-180{\mu}m$) these drugs inhibited [$^3H$]DHA binding to $\beta$-adrenergic receptors. Nicardipine, nifedipine, nimodipine and diltiazem competed for [$^3H$]DHA binding to ${\beta}$-adrenergic receptors with dissociation constants ($K_i$) of $28{\mu}m,\' 74{\mu}m, 39{\mu}m \;and \;35{\mu}m,$ respectively. Verapamil ($K_i=176.5 {\mu}m$) was less potent inhibitor than other drugs and this inhibition was noncompetitive; the maximal binding capacity ($B_{max}$) $300 {\mu}m$ verapamil without change in the apparent dissociation constant (4K_D$) for DHA. These results indicate that the inhibitory action of calcium antagonists at high concentrations on ${\beta}$-adrenergic receptors is not involved in the therapeutic effects of these drugs by the calcium channel blocking action.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.251.3-252
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• 2002

The present study was performed to compare the cardiovascular adverse effects of verapamil. KR30031 and their each optical isomers, and also to measure their ability to overcome multidrug resistance (MDR). R-isomer of KR30031 (R-KR30031) was equipotent with S-isomer of KR30031 (S-KR30031) and 25 fold less potent than R-isomer of verapamil (R-verapamil) in relaxing the aorta isolated from rat (EC50: 11.8, 10.2 and 0.46 ${\mu}$M, respectively). (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.283-286
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• 1990

The effects of nifedipne and verapamil were compared on carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats and the results are summarized as follows: Carrageenan induced severe acute paw edema within 30 minutes and the maximum effect was achieved around 4 hours after administration. The carrageenan-induced paw edema was prominantly reduced by pretreatments of indomethacin (2mg/kg, p.o.) and nifedipine (10 and 20mg/kg, i.p.), whereas verapamil had no effect on the carrageenan-induced paw edema. These results suggest that calcium antagonists, nifedipine and verapamil, have a different effect on the inflammatory response induced by carrageenan.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.205-210
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• 2013

Human P-gp is a protein responsible for the multidrug resistance (MDR) and causes failure of cancer chemotherapy. Till date no X-ray crystal structure is reported for this membrane protein, which hampers active research in the field. We performed homology modeling to develop three dimensional (3D) model of P-gp, and docking studies of the verapamil and curcumin have been performed to gain insight into the interaction mechanism between inhibitors and P-gp. It was identified that the inhibitors docked into the upper part of P-gp and interacted through the hydrophobic interactions.