A potential calcium antagonist and its antihypertensive effects.

Imperatorin (Imp) as a hypotensive active ingredient, its hypotensive effect was evaluated in the SHRs, its calcium antagonism and affinity to L-type calcium channel was also confirmed. The results showed that the blood pressure was decreased in the SHRs treated with Imp, the aortic ring was relaxed with Imp, L-type calcium channel currents and intracellular calcium free ion rise was nearly disappeared when adding Imp. In addition, Imp displayed a chromatographic peak similar to nitrendipine and verapamil by the cell membrane chromatography, same results from protein-drug docking approaches. Hence, Imp target the L-type calcium channel, and may be used as a novel antihypertensive drug.