Calcium entry blocker activity of cyproheptadine in isolated cardiovascular preparations.

Cyproheptadine was compared with nifedipine, verapamil and diltiazem for calcium entry blocker activity in isolated cardiovascular preparations. Using rat aortic strips, all compounds (10(-7) M) inhibited both the contraction caused by the readdition of calcium (1.0 mM) into regular buffer or buffer containing potassium (130 mM) or norepinephrine (10(-5) M) and the potassium-stimulated uptake of 45Ca. The rank order of potency for these experiments was in general nifedipine greater than cyproheptadine greater than or equal to verapamil greater than diltiazem. The same order of potency also was found for the four compounds in relaxing potassium (40 mM)-contracted aortic strips (IC50 values: nifedipine, 2.6 X 10(-9) M; cyproheptadine, 6.3 X 10(-8) M; verapamil, 7.6 X 10(-8) M; and diltiazem, 2.1 X 10(-7) M), but cyproheptadine was the least potent agent in antagonizing the spontaneous contractions of the rat portal vein (IC50 values: nifedipine, 6.6 X 10(-9) M; verapamil 7.7 X 10(-8) M; diltiazem 9.6 X 10(-8) M; and cyproheptadine 3.9 X 10(-7)M). None of the compounds (10(-7) M) inhibited the contraction to norepinephrine (10(-5) M) in rabbit aortic strips bathed in calcium-free buffer (1 mM ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N, N'-tetraacetic acid). Nifedipine, verapamil and diltiazem were more potent in inhibiting the restoration of contractility by isoproterenol in potassium-depolarized rabbit papillary muscles than decreasing force in normally polarized muscles; cyproheptadine was equipotent when tested in these two preparations. Cyproheptadine was the least potent of the four compounds in lowering perfusion pressure in the perfused canine hindlimb.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)