Alteration of growth and metabolic activity of cells in the presence of propranolol and metoprolol.

Mechanisms of action at the cellular level of a variety of drugs and xenobiotics may be assessed using Chlorella vulgaris cells. Synchronous culture, which consists of cells at the same phase of development, provides the most convenient model for studying processes at the cellular level. Stability of metabolic activity of synchronously growing cells is achieved by conducting cell culturing under strictly controlled conditions. The aim of the present study was to determine to what extent propranolol and metoprolol alter the Chlorella vulgaris metabolic activity, expressed by the number of progeny cells, the culture absorbance at lambda = 680 nm and the amount of selected photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, antheraxanthin, lutein, violaxanthin and beta-carotene). Three different concentrations (10(-4), 10(-5) and 10(-6) M) of propranolol and metoprolol were administered to the Chlorella vulgaris cultures. It has been demonstrated that the higher the propranolol and metoprolol concentrations (from 10(-6) M to 10(-4) M) the lower the number of progeny cells in the cultures, expressed by the lower values of division coefficient. Both the propranolol and metoprolol caused a decrease in the photosynthetic pigments production in the mother cells. This effect was more important in the propranolol-treated cultures. The higher values of photosynthetic pigments concentrations in the progeny cells grown under the presence of a drug indicate that both the drugs tested influence mainly the cell growth and in a lower manner--their metabolic activity, expressed by the production of photosynthetic pigments.