Abstract
Effects of N-methylcytisine (N-MC) and matrine (Mat), alkaloids from Sophora flavescens on the motility of parasitic helminths and isolated frog rectus and mouse ileum were studied. I) The motility of Angiostrongylus cantonensis was affected spastically by N-MC (1.2 × 10-6 ?? 1.2 × 10-4M), but paralytically by Mat (10-5 ?? 10-4M). 2) The motility of Dipylidium caninum and Fasciola hepatica was affected paralytically by N-MC (1.2 × 10-4 ?? 1.2 × 10-3M), but spastically by Mat (10-4 ?? 10-3M). 3) Treatment with N-MC (10-3M) and Mat (8 × 10-4M) had little effect on the motility of Schistosoma japonicum. 4) Both N-MC (1.2 × 10-5 ?? 2.4 × 10-5M) and Mat (10-4M) stimulated the twitch response induced by guanidine (2.5 × 10-3M) in the frog isolated rectus preparation. 5) The motility of the mouse isolated ileum preparation was affected paralytically by N-MC (1.2 × 10-5 ?? 1.2 × 10-4M), but spastically by Mat (10-4 ?? 10-3M). Thus, N-MC and Mat acted antagonistically on all the preparations with the exception of the frog rectus preparation. From the results on interactions between these alkaloids and known neuropharmacological agents, it is suggested that the effects of both alkaloids are elicited through a neuropharmacological mechanism in parasitic helminths and host tissues.
