Skip to main content
NCBI home page
British Journal of Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Pharmacology
. 1983 Jan;78(1):49–55. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1983.tb09361.x

Effects of some antiepileptic drugs on the repetitive activity of the node of Ranvier.

M R Carratú, V Di Giovanni, D Mitolo-Chieppa
PMCID: PMC2044792  PMID: 6600637

Abstract

1 Effects of some antiepileptic drugs on the repetitive activity of the node of Ranvier have been tested on frog myelinated nerve fibres. 2 Nerve fibres were stimulated by supraliminal direct current pulses of long duration. Motor fibres responded with a single action potential; sensory fibres responded with repetitive firing at a frequency of about 300/s. Chlordiazepoxide hydrochloride (0.1 mM), phenobarbitone sodium (0.25 mM) or diphenylhydantoin sodium (0.5 mM) suppressed the repetitive activity. 3 Sensory and motor nerve fibres stimulated by a 10 kHz alternating current of strength twice the threshold responded with repetitive firing at a frequency of 400-500/s. Superfusion of the node with chlordiazepoxide hydrochloride (0.2 mM), phenobarbitone sodium (0.5 mM) or diphenylhydantoin sodium (1.7 mM) reduced the frequency of firing by 50% either in sensory or in motor fibres activated by a.c. stimulation; at the same concentrations, the drugs altered amplitude of the action potential and threshold for electric excitability by less than 10%. 4 Unlike local anaesthetics, chlordiazepoxide, phenobarbitone and diphenylhydantoin are more selective in inhibiting repetitive firing than in reducing the amplitude of the action potential or increasing the threshold for electric excitability. 5 Trimethadione (up to 5 mM) was ineffective on repetitive firing elicited either with direct or with alternating current.

Full text

PDF
49

Selected References

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

  1. Bergmann C., Nonner W., Stämpfli R. Sustained spontaneous activity of Ranvier nodes induced by the combined actions of TEA and lack of calcium. Pflugers Arch. 1968;302(1):24–37. doi: 10.1007/BF00586780. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Blaustein M. P. Barbiturates block sodium and potassium conductance increases in voltage-clamped lobster axons. J Gen Physiol. 1968 Mar;51(3):293–307. doi: 10.1085/jgp.51.3.293. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bromm B. Die Natrium-Gleichrichtung der unterschwellig erregten Membran in der quantitativen Formulierung der Ionentheorie. Pflugers Arch. 1968;302(3):233–244. doi: 10.1007/BF00586728. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bromm B., Rahn U. Repetitive Aktivität des isolierten Schnürrings bei Reizung mit nullinien-symmetrischen Strömen. Pflugers Arch. 1969;306(2):153–164. doi: 10.1007/BF00586882. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Bromm B. Spike frequency of the nodal membrane generated by high-frequency alternating current. Pflugers Arch. 1975;353(1):1–19. doi: 10.1007/BF00584507. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Grossmann W., Jurna I. The effects of diphenylthiohydantoin on the membrane potentials of rat sensory nerve fibre bundles. Neuropharmacology. 1974 Sep;13(9):819–827. doi: 10.1016/0028-3908(74)90037-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Lipicky R. J., Gilbert D. L., Stillman I. M. Diphenylhydantoin inhibition of sodium conductance in squid giant axon. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1972 Jul;69(7):1758–1760. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.7.1758. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Melacini P., Furlanut M., Ferrari M., Dalla Volta S. Effects of quinidine and diphenylhydantoin on membrane resistance in smooth muscle. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther. 1975 Jan;213(1):17–21. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Neuman R. S., Frank G. B. Effects of diphenylhydantoin and phenobarbital on voltage-clamped myelinated nerve. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1977 Feb;55(1):42–47. doi: 10.1139/y77-006. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Pedley T. A. The pathophysiology of focal epilepsy: neurophysiological considerations. Ann Neurol. 1978 Jan;3(1):2–9. doi: 10.1002/ana.410030103. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Rosenberg P., Bartels E. Drug effects on the spontaneous electrical activity of the squid giant axon. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1967 Mar;155(3):532–544. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. SCHMIDT H., STAEMPFLI R. NACHWEIS UNTERSCHIEDLICHER ELEKTROPHYSIOLOGISCHER EIGENSCHAFTEN MOTORISCHER UND SENSIBLER NERVENFASERN DES FROSCHES. Helv Physiol Pharmacol Acta. 1964 Oct;64:C143–C145. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. STAEMPFLI R. Is the resting potential of Ranvier nodes a potassium potential? Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1959 Aug 28;81:265–284. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1959.tb49313.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Schmidt H., Stämpfli R. Die Wirkung von Tetraäthylammoniumchlorid auf den einzelnen Ranvierschen Schnürring. Pflugers Arch Gesamte Physiol Menschen Tiere. 1966;287(4):311–325. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Schwarz J. R. The mode of action of phenobarbital on the excitable membrane of the node of Ranvier. Eur J Pharmacol. 1979 Jun;56(1-2):51–60. doi: 10.1016/0014-2999(79)90432-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Strauss H. C., Bigger J. T., Jr, Bassett A. L., Hoffman B. F. Actions of diphenylhydatoin on the electrical properties of isolated rabbit and canine atria. Circ Res. 1968 Sep;23(3):463–477. doi: 10.1161/01.res.23.3.463. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Toman J. E., Sabelli H. C. Comparative neuronal mechanisms. Epilepsia. 1969 Jun;10(2):179–192. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1969.tb03842.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES