"Calcium antagonists": a class of drugs with a bright future. Part II. Determination of basic pharmacological properties

Abstract

This minireview discusses some simple pharmacological tests useful in detecting biological activity (screening), characterizing mechanisms of action and predicting possible therapeutic applications for calcium antagonists in general and calcium slow channel blockers in particular. In smooth muscle preparations these agents inhibit mechanical effects evoked by K+-depolarization which selectively opens voltage-operated calcium channels (VOC) to allow extracellular Ca++ into the cytosol. In contrast, any inhibition of receptor-mediated responses by calcium antagonists appears to depend on the transduction system and the specific cellular mechanism (e.g. VOC opening consequent to partial depolarization) activated by the receptor and, evidently, on ancillary pharmacological properties of the studied compound. For instance, whereas calcium slow channel blockers antagonize contractions produced by norepinephrine and K+-depolarization in the rat isolated portal vein, they inhibit effectively only the latter response in the rabbit aorta. This apparent discrepancy may be accounted for by the different pool of Ca++ mobilized in the two tissues by norepinephrine. Agents (e.g. diphenylalkylamines, calmodulin blockers) that impair the interaction of Ca++ with intracellular proteins produce effects which are less specific than those of slow channel blockers. Currently, the pharmacological profile of calcium antagonists can be appropriately defined by studying their effects on radioligand (dihydropyridine) binding, radioactive calcium movements through biological membranes, electrophysiological parameters in cardiac and vascular smooth muscle and on various in vivo cardiovascular preparations. Together, these approaches allow a functional classification of new calcium antagonists in relation to already known compounds and some hypotheses on their potential clinical applications. Finally, desirable pharmacokinetics and pharmacological properties for novel calcium antagonists are mentioned. This point will be further explored in the forthcoming minireview which will deal with the clinical applications of calcium antagonists.