Functional modulation of glycine receptors by the alkaloid gelsemine.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Gelsemine is one of the principal alkaloids produced by the Gelsemium genus of plants belonging to the Loganiaceae family. The extracts of these plants have been used for many years, for a variety of medicinal purposes. Coincidentally, recent studies have shown that gelsemine exerts anxiolytic and analgesic effects on behavioural models. Several lines of evidence have suggested that these beneficial actions were dependent on glycine receptors, which are inhibitory neurotransmitter-gated ion channels of the CNS. However, it is currently unknown whether gelsemine can directly modulate the function of glycine receptors.

Experimental approach

We examined the functional effects of gelsemine on glycine receptors expressed in transfected HEK293 cells and in c

SUBMITTER: Lara CO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4919579 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature