DA-8159, a new Phosphodiesterase (PDE) 5 inhibitor, has exhibited potent erectogenic potential in a penile erection test in rats and anesthetized dogs. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of its erectogenic activity by measuring the activity of DA-8159 against a various PDE isozymes and assessing cGMP and cAMP formation in a rabbit corpus cavernosum in vitro. DA-8159 inhibited the PDE 5 activity in rabbit and human platelets, which the IC50 was 5.84 +/- 1.70 nM and 8.25 +/- 2.90 nM, respectively. The IC50 of DA-8159 on PDE 1, PDE 2, PDE 3 and PDE 6 were 870+/- 57.4 nM, 101 +/- 15 microM, 52.0 +/- 3.53 microM and 53.3 +/- 2.47 nM, respectively. This suggests that DA-8159 is a potent, highly selective, competitive inhibitor of PDE 5-catalyzed cGMP hydrolysis. The rates of cGMP hydrolysis catalyzed by human platelets-derived PDE 5 as a function of the cGMP concentration (5-100 nM) and two-fixed DA-8159 concentration (11.3 and 18.8 nM) were investigated in order to characterize the mode of PDE 5 inhibition by DA-8159. DA-8159 increased the apparent Km value for cGMP hydrolysis but had no effect on the apparent Vmax, indicating a competitive mode of inhibition. DA-8159 increased the cGMP concentrations in the rabbit corpus cavernosum dose dependently. In the presence of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), DA-8159 significantly stimulated the accumulation of cGMP when compared to the control level. This indicated that the enhancement of a penile erection by DA-8159 involved the relaxation of the cavernosal smooth muscle by NO-stimulated cGMP accumulation. In conclusion, DA-8159 is a selective inhibitor of PDE 5-catalyzed cGMP hydrolysis and the enhancement of a penile erection by DA-8159 is mediated by the relaxation of the cavernosal smooth muscle by the NO-stimulated cGMP accumulation.

Extracts of Artemisia asiatica Nakai (Asteraceae) possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities. Eupatilin (5,7-dihydroxy-3',4', 6-trimethoxyflavone), one of the pharmacologically active ingredients derived from A. asiatica was shown to induce apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells. In the present study, we examined the ability of eupatilin to induce apoptosis in human gastric cancer (AGS) cells. Eupatilin induced the apoptosis of AGS cells as revealed by a decrease in the ratio of pro-apoptotic Bax and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, as well as the cleavage of caspase-3 and poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP). The pro-apoptotic effects of eupatilin were further verified by its perturbation of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (DeltaPsim). In addition, eupatilin treatment led to an elevated expression of p53 and p21. Eupatilin inhibited the activation of ERK1/2 and Akt, which are important components of cell-survival pathways.

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1 The present study was aimed to investigate intracellular pathways involved in acetylcholine (ACh)-induced contraction in cat detrusor muscle cells 2 Contraction was expressed as per cent shortening of length of individually isolated smooth muscle cells obtained by enzymatic digestion. Dispersed intact and permeabilized cells were prepared for the treatment of drugs and antibody to enzymes, respectively. Using Western blot, we con®rmed the presence of related proteins. 3 The maximal contraction to ACh was generated at 10 711 M. This response was preferentially antagonized by M 3 muscarinic receptor antagonist r-¯uoro-hexahydrosiladifenidol (rF-HSD) but not by the M 1 antagonist pirenzepine and the M 2 muscarinic receptor antagonist methoctramine. We identi®ed G-proteins G q/11 , G s , G 0 , G i1 , G i2 and G i3 in the bladder detrusor muscle. ACh-induced contraction was selectively inhibited by G q/11 antibody but not to other G subunit. 4 The phosphatidylinositol-speci®c phospholipase C (PI-PLC) inhibitor neomycin reduced AChinduced contraction. However, the inhibitors of the phospholipase D, the phospholipase A 2 and protein kinase C did not attenuate the ACh-induced contraction. ACh-induced contraction was inhibited by antibody to PLC-b 1 but not PLC-b 3 and PLC-g. Thapsigargin or strontium, which depletes or blocks intracellular calcium release, inhibited ACh-induced contraction. Inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP 3 ) receptor inhibitor heparin reduced ACh-induced contraction. 5 These results suggest that in cat detrusor muscle contraction induced by ACh is mediated via M 3 muscarinic receptor-dependent activation of G q/11 and PLC-b 1 and IP 3 -dependent Ca 2+ release.

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