Toxins 2016, 8(1), 12; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins8010012
Alkaloids from Veratrum taliense Exert Cardiovascular Toxic Effects via Cardiac Sodium Channel Subtype 1.5
1
College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu, China
2
Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming 650223, Yunnan, China
3
State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Kevin Welch
Received: 7 December 2015 / Revised: 20 December 2015 / Accepted: 22 December 2015 / Published: 30 December 2015
(This article belongs to the Collection Toxicity of Natural Alkaloids)
Abstract
Several species of the genus Veratrum that produce steroid alkaloids are commonly used to treat pain and hypertension in China and Europe. However, Veratrum alkaloids (VAs) induce serious cardiovascular toxicity. In China, Veratrum treatment often leads to many side effects and even causes the death of patients, but the pathophysiological mechanisms under these adverse effects are not clear. Here, two solanidine-type VAs (isorubijervine and rubijervine) isolated from Veratrum taliense exhibited strong cardiovascular toxicity. A pathophysiological study indicated that these VAs blocked sodium channels NaV1.3–1.5 and exhibited the strongest ability to inhibit NaV1.5, which is specifically expressed in cardiac tissue and plays an essential role in cardiac physiological function. This result reveals that VAs exert their cardiovascular toxicity via the NaV1.5 channel. The effects of VAs on NaV1.3 and NaV1.4 may be related to their analgesic effect and skeletal muscle toxicity, respectively. View Full-TextKeywords:
Veratrum taliense; NaV1.5; cardiovascular toxicity
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Wang, G.; Rong, M.-Q.; Li, Q.; Liu, Y.-P.; Long, C.-B.; Meng, P.; Yao, H.-M.; Lai, R.; Luo, X.-D. Alkaloids from Veratrum taliense Exert Cardiovascular Toxic Effects via Cardiac Sodium Channel Subtype 1.5. Toxins 2016, 8, 12.
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