Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Kv1.5

Title: Eugenol inhibits K+ currents in trigeminal ganglion neurons.

Authors: H Y Li, C-K Park, S J Jung, S-Y Choi, S J Lee, K Park, J S Kim, S B Oh

Journal, date & volume: J. Dent. Res., 2007 Sep , 86, 898-902

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17720863

Abstract
Eugenol, a natural capsaicin congener, is widely used in dentistry. Eugenol inhibits voltage-activated Na(+) and Ca(2+) channels in a transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1)-independent manner. We hypothesized that eugenol also inhibits voltage-gated K(+) currents, and investigated this in rat trigeminal ganglion neurons and in a heterologous system using whole-cell patch clamping. Eugenol inhibited voltage-gated K(+) currents, and the inhibitory effects of eugenol were observed in both capsaicin-sensitive and capsaicin-insensitive neurons. Pre-treatment with capsazepine, a well-known antagonist of TRPV1, failed to block the inhibitory effects of eugenol on K(+) currents, suggesting no involvement of TRPV1. Eugenol inhibited human Kv1.5 currents stably expressed in Ltk(-) cells, where TRPV1 is not endogenously expressed. We conclude that eugenol inhibits voltage-gated K(+) currents in a TRPV1-independent manner. The inhibition of voltage-gated K(+) currents is likely to contribute to the irritable action of eugenol.human Kv1.5 channel, hKv1.5; transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, TRPV1.