Address of Corresponding Author

Pharmacology 2004;72:247-253 (DOI: 10.1159/000080380)

  Key Words

• Cystic fibrosis membrane conductance regulator
• Chloride ion
• Intestine
• Jejunum
• Secretion
• Ion channel
• Rat
• 4,5-Dimethylresorcinol
• Ussing chamber
• Inhibition

  Abstract

Wood creosote, a mixture of phenolic compounds, inhibits enterotoxin-induced intestinal fluid secretion, suggesting that one of its constituents suppresses transepithelial Cl^- secretion from the intestinal mucosa. To identify an active constituent in wood creosote that inhibits intestinal Cl^- secretion through Cl^- channels, we first examined its effect on Cl^- secretion using a cultured cell line transfected with complementary DNA encoding a Cl^-channel and a Cl^--sensitive fluorescent dye. We next assayed chromatographic fractions of wood creosote for the inhibitory activity on Cl^- secretion using a Ussing chamber. We found that 4,5-dimethylresorcinol, identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, inhibited intestinal Cl^- secretion dose-dependently when added to a serosal, but not mucosal, surface of rat jejunum, a half-inhibitory concentration being 3.8 µg/ml (28 µmol/l). It was strongly suggested that this effect was due to inhibition of Cl^- channels.

Copyright © 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Norio Ogata, MD, PhD
Department of Internal Medicine, Nagayoshi General Hospital
1-2-34 Nagayoshinagahara, Hiranoku
Osaka 547-0016 (Japan)
Tel. +81 6 6709 0301, Fax +81 6 6709 5920, E-Mail ogata@r9.dion.ne.jp

  Article Information

Received: April 29, 2004
Accepted: May 11, 2004
Number of Print Pages : 7
Number of Figures : 4, Number of Tables : 1, Number of References : 39