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Studies on the mechanism of action of dantrolene sodium

A skeletal muscle relaxant

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Summary

In rat diaphragm-phrenic nerve preparations, dantrolene sodium has been shown to have no effect on neuromuscular transmission. KCl and acetylcholine contractures in the frog rectus muscle are depressed in the presence of dantrolene sodium. The threshold for caffeine contractures in the frog sartorius and rectus muscles is raised from 2.0 to 4.0 mM. In isolated frog sartorius muscles, the tetanic fusion frequency is increased by 29%, and the twitch response is depressed more than the tetanic.

According to these observations it is proposed that the muscle relaxant properties of dantrolene sodium are dependent on its direct inhibitory action on skeletal muscle. It is further hypothesized that this direct action results from an antagonism of calcium release within the muscle.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research and Development Department, The Norwich Pharmacol Company, Norwich, New York

    K. O. Ellis & J. F. Carpenter

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  1. K. O. Ellis
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  2. J. F. Carpenter
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Ellis, K.O., Carpenter, J.F. Studies on the mechanism of action of dantrolene sodium. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 275, 83–94 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00505069

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00505069

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