Regular Article

(−)-Clausenamide potentiates synaptic transmission in the dentate gyrus of rats

  1. Lin Xu,
  2. Shao-Lin Liu,
  3. Jun-Tian Zhang*

Article first published online: 19 APR 2005

DOI: 10.1002/chir.20150

Issue

Chirality

Chirality

Volume 17, Issue 5, pages 239–244, 2005

Additional Information

How to Cite

Xu, L., Liu, S.-L. and Zhang, J.-T. (2005), (−)-Clausenamide potentiates synaptic transmission in the dentate gyrus of rats. Chirality, 17: 239–244. doi: 10.1002/chir.20150

Author Information

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China

*Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Xian Nong Tan Street, Beijing 100050, China

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 19 APR 2005
  2. Article first published online: 19 APR 2005
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 18 JAN 2005
  4. Manuscript Received: 2 SEP 2004

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

Get PDF (140K)

Keywords:

  • enantiomer;
  • long-term potentiation;
  • phosphatase;
  • calcium;
  • nootropic

Abstract

The effect of clausenamide on synaptic transmission in the dentate gyrus of rats in vivo and its possible mechanism of action were investigated in this study. Four of 16 enantiomers showed potentiating effects on basal synaptic transmission in anesthetized animals. By comparing one pair of enantiomers, (−)-clausenamide and (+)-clausenamide, we can report three primary findings: (1) (−)-clausenamide potentiated synaptic transmission in both anesthetized and freely moving animals while (+)-clausenamide showed no or little effect; (2) (−)-clausenamide increased the magnitude of long-term potentiation (LTP) induced by high-frequency stimulation (HFS) in anesthetized animals whereas (+)-clausenamide had no effect; (3) voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs) calcineurin and calpain are involved in (−)-clausenamide-induced potentiation of synaptic transmission. Because hippocampal LTP is thought to reflect a cellular mechanism involved in learning and memory, our findings may provide the pharmacological basis for understanding the nootropic mechanisms of (−)-clausenamide, which is the first chiral nootropic agent developed in China. Chirality 17:239–244, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Get PDF (140K)