Electrophysiology mechanisms of 4-butyl-alpha-agarofuran: a new anxiolytic and antidepressant drug

To investigate the electrophysiology mechanisms of new anxiolytic and antidepressant drug: 4- butyl-alpha-agarofuran (AF-5), patch clamp-recording was used to test the effects of AF-5 on voltage-dependent sodium currents, voltage-dependent potassium currents, L-type voltage-dependent calcium currents and GABA dependent Cl⁻ currents in primary cultured rat cortical neurons.  Effects of AF-5 on Kv2.1 currents, expressed stably in HEK293 cells, were also tested.  Our results showed that, delayed rectifier potassium currents (I_K(DR)), L-type voltage-dependent calcium currents (I_L-Ca) in primary cultured rat cortical neurons and Kv2.1 currents in HEK293 cells were significantly inhibited by AF-5, with IC₅₀ as 6.17, 4.4 and 5.29 μmol·L⁻¹ respectively.  However, voltage-dependent sodium currents (I_Na), GABA dependent Cl⁻ currents and transient outward potassium currents (I_K(A)) in primary cultured rat cortical neurons were not significantly blocked by AF-5.  Our results concluded that, blocked I_K(DR) and I_L-Ca currents may be one of the mechanisms of anxiolytic and antidepression actions of AF-5.