Effects of L-type Ca2+ channel antagonists on in vitro excystment of Paragonimus ohirai metacercariae induced by sodium cholate.

The inhibitory effects of L-type Ca2+ channel antagonists on Na cholate-induced in vitro excystment (CIIE) of Paragonimus ohirai metacercariae were studied. At concentrations of 10 microM, nicardipine and nimodipine inhibited CIIE completely and by approximately 92%, respectively. Nitrendipine and (+/-)-verapamil inhibited CIIE by about one half and one third, respectively. Nifedipine and diltiazem did not inhibit CIIE significantly. At higher concentrations, nitrendipine at 20 microM completely inhibited CIIE, and (+/-)-verapamil at 40 microM inhibited CIIE by 93%. Nifedipine and diltiazem inhibited CIIE only slightly and little, respectively, even at 40 microM. Complete inhibition by nicardipine at 10 microM required preincubation of metacercariae with the antagonist for 15 min. The inhibitory effects of nicardipine and nimodipine were reversible, and most of the nimodipine-treated metacercariae could excyst within 1 h after being washed, but the nicardipine-treated ones started to excyst 1 h after washing. Nicardipine suppressed the active movement of encysted juveniles evoked by Na cholate, whereas nimodipine did not suppress this significantly. These results suggested that L-type Ca2+ channels appeared to be involved in CIIE of P. ohirai metacercariae and that the inhibitory effect of the channels was due primarily to factors other than the inhibition of muscular activity, probably involving the secretion and release of enzymes lytic against the metacercarial cyst wall.