Skip to main content
PMC home page
British Journal of Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Pharmacology
. 1982 Dec;77(4):649–659. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1982.tb09343.x

Withdrawal of magnesium enhances coronary arterial spasms produced by vasoactive agents.

B M Altura, P D Turlapaty
PMCID: PMC2044683  PMID: 7150872

Abstract

1 The influence of external magnesium ions ([Mg2+]o) on the sensitivity (i.e. EC50) and contractility (maximum response) of isolated large and small coronary arteries of the dog, obtained from different regions of the myocardium, to vasoactive agents was studied. 2 Removal of [Mg2+]o from the physiological salt solution enhanced, while elevation in [Mg2+]o to 4.8 mM, lowered the contractile sensitivity to three different agents, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), angiotensin II and KCl. 3 Contractility, of both large and small coronary arteries, to 5-HT and angiotensin II was potentiated and depressed, respectively, by withdrawal and elevation of [Mg2+]o; maximum responses to KCl were not altered by 0 or 4.8 mM [Mg2+]o. 4 Cumulative concentration-contractile effect curves to CaCl2 were shifted leftward on removal of [Mg2+]o; elevation of [Mg2+]o to 4.8 mM shifted the CaCl2 concentration-effect curves to the right. Maximal contractile responses to CaCl2 were enhanced by removal of, and reduced by elevation of, [Mg2+]o. 5 The calcium channel blocking agent, verapamil (10(-6)M), inhibited completely contractile responses to KCl; contractile responses elicited by angiotensin II and 5-HT were attenuated by verapamil. 6 A variety of pharmacological antagonists (phentolamine, propranolol, methysergide, atropine, diphenhydramine), as well as use of a prostaglandin cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, did not modify the altered contractile responses evoked by angiotensin II or KCl in different concentrations of Mg2+. 7 These results suggest: (1) [Mg2+]o may exert considerably greater influence on receptor-operated rather than membrane-potential sensitive channels involved in Ca2+ transport in coronary arterial smooth muscle; (2) Mg2+ interferes with the affinity (binding) of certain agonists (5-HT and angiotensin II) for their respective receptors in coronary vascular muscle; and (3) a functional pool of Ca2+ which is resistant to Ca2+-depletion, but accessible to activation by 5-HT and angiotensin II is present in canine coronary arterial smooth muscle.

Full text

PDF
650

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Altura B. M., Altura B. T. Differential effects of substrate depletion on drug-induced contractions of rabbit aorta. Am J Physiol. 1970 Dec;219(6):1698–1705. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1970.219.6.1698. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Altura B. M., Altura B. T. Influence of magnesium on drug-induced contractions and ion content in rabbit aorta. Am J Physiol. 1971 Apr;220(4):938–944. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1971.220.4.938. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Altura B. M., Altura B. T. Magnesium and contraction of arterial smooth muscle. Microvasc Res. 1974 Mar;7(2):145–155. doi: 10.1016/0026-2862(74)90001-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Altura B. M., Altura B. T. Magnesium and vascular tone and reactivity. Blood Vessels. 1978;15(1-3):5–16. doi: 10.1159/000158148. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Altura B. M., Altura B. T. Magnesium ions and contraction of vascular smooth muscles: relationship to some vascular diseases. Fed Proc. 1981 Oct;40(12):2672–2679. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Altura B. M., Altura B. T. Magnesium withdrawal and contraction of arterial smooth muscle: effects of EDTA, EGTA, and divalent cations. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1976 Apr;151(4):752–755. doi: 10.3181/00379727-151-39300. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Altura B. M. Differential actions of polypeptides and other drugs on coronary inflow vessels. Am Heart J. 1966 Nov;72(5):709–711. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(66)90357-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Altura B. M. Magnesium-neurohypophyseal hormone interactions in contraction of vascular smooth muscle. Am J Physiol. 1975 May;228(5):1615–1620. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1975.228.5.1615. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Altura B. M. Sudden-death ischemic heart disease and dietary magnesium intake: is the target site coronary vascular smooth muscle? Med Hypotheses. 1979 Aug;5(8):843–848. doi: 10.1016/0306-9877(79)90074-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Altura B. T., Altura B. M. Withdrawal of magnesium causes vasospasm while elevated magnesium produces relaxation of tone in cerebral arteries. Neurosci Lett. 1980 Dec;20(3):323–327. doi: 10.1016/0304-3940(80)90168-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Bocci V. Is interferon produced in physiologic conditions? Med Hypotheses. 1980 Jul;6(7):735–745. doi: 10.1016/0306-9877(80)90091-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Bolton T. B. Mechanisms of action of transmitters and other substances on smooth muscle. Physiol Rev. 1979 Jul;59(3):606–718. doi: 10.1152/physrev.1979.59.3.606. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Burch G. E., Giles T. D. The importance of magnesium deficiency in cardiovascular disease. Am Heart J. 1977 Nov;94(5):649–657. doi: 10.1016/s0002-8703(77)80137-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Goldstein S., Zsotér T. T. The effect of magnesium on the response of smooth muscle to 5-hydroxytryptamine. Br J Pharmacol. 1978 Apr;62(4):507–514. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1978.tb07754.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Hansen J. F., Sandøe E. Treatment of Prinzmetal's angina due to coronary artery spasm using verapamil: a report of three cases. Eur J Cardiol. 1978 Jun;7(4):327–335. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Levene D. L., Freeman M. R. Alpha-adrenoceptor-mediated coronary artery spasm. JAMA. 1976 Aug 30;236(9):1018–1022. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Nakahata N. Magnesium dependent contraction of glycerinated smooth muscle. Pflugers Arch. 1979 Nov;382(2):133–136. doi: 10.1007/BF00584214. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Seelig M. S., Heggtveit H. A. Magnesium interrelationships in ischemic heart disease: a review. Am J Clin Nutr. 1974 Jan;27(1):59–79. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/27.1.59. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Somlyo A. V., Woo C. Y., Somlyo A. P. Effect of magnesium on posterior pituitary hormone action on vascular smooth muscle. Am J Physiol. 1966 Apr;210(4):705–714. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1966.210.4.705. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Takagi K., Takayanagi I., Liao C. S. The effect of calcium and magnesium ions on drug-receptor interactions. Eur J Pharmacol. 1972 Sep;19(3):330–342. doi: 10.1016/0014-2999(72)90099-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Turlapaty P. D., Altura B. M. Extracellular magnesium ions control calcium exchange and content of vascular smooth muscle. Eur J Pharmacol. 1978 Dec 1;52(3-4):421–423. doi: 10.1016/0014-2999(78)90303-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Turlapaty P. D., Altura B. M. Magnesium deficiency produces spasms of coronary arteries: relationship to etiology of sudden death ischemic heart disease. Science. 1980 Apr 11;208(4440):198–200. doi: 10.1126/science.7361117. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Turpapaty PDMV, Carrier O., Jr, jurevics H. Effect of magnesium on isoproterenol-induced alpha and beta receptor responses of vascular smooth muscle. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1975 Feb;192(2):372–380. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Yasue H., Touyama M., Kato H., Tanaka S., Akiyama F. Prinzmetal's variant form of angina as a manifestation of alpha-adrenergic receptor-mediated coronary artery spasm: documentation by coronary arteriography. Am Heart J. 1976 Feb;91(2):148–155. doi: 10.1016/s0002-8703(76)80568-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Pharmacology are provided here courtesy of The British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES