Characterization of a novel tetrandrine-induced contraction in rat tail artery.

AIM: In an attempt to pharmacologically characterize the Chinese antihypertensive drug, tetrandrine, we observed in rat-tail arteries, an unusual contraction in tissues that were stimulated with high [KCl] and not those stimulated with phenylephrine. The characteristics of this contraction were studied. METHODS: Segments of perfused ventral rat-tail arteries (RTA) were contracted with a depolarizing concentration (120 mmol/L) of KCl or with …