Caulophine is a novel fluorenone alkaloid isolated from the radix of Caulophyllum robustum Maxim. Caulophine showed high affinity for the rat myocardial cell membrane as assessed by cell membrane chromatography, suggesting that the compound may exert bioactivity in the heart. It is known that calcium plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ischaemic heart disease, and caffeine can cause calcium overload in cardiomyocytes by inducing calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Therefore, the present study evaluated the effects of caulophine on caffeine-induced injury and calcium homeostasis in cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocytes were pre-treated with caulophine before exposure to caffeine or potassium chloride (KCl). Cell viability was assayed using the MTT method, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured spectrophotometrically. Caulophine-pre-treated cardiomyocytes were incubated with Fluo-3/AM, and then caffeine or KCl was used to induce Ca(2+) overload. The total intracellular Ca(2+) concentration was measured by flow cytometry. Fluorescence densities of single cardiomyocytes were detected using a confocal microscope. Caulophine increased the viability of caffeine-injured cardiomyocytes and decreased LDH activity and MDA level in cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, caulophine significantly decreased the total intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration and intracellular calcium release in cardiomyocytes in response to caffeine. However, the same concentrations of caulophine did not affect KCl-induced calcium influx. Our results suggest that caulophine protects cardiomyocytes from caffeine-induced injury as a result of calcium antagonism. This finding provides a basis for further study and development of caulophine as a new calcium antagonist for treating ischaemic cardiovascular diseases.
© 2010 The Authors. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology © 2010 Nordic Pharmacological Society.