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Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Voltage-Dependent Potassium Current Recording on H9c2 Cardiomyocytes via the Whole-Cell Patch-Clamp Technique
Published on: November 11, 2022
Levosimendan interacts with potassium channel blockers in human saphenous veins
József Höhn1, János Pataricza, András Petri
1Department of Surgery, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical Center, University of Szeged, Hungary. hn@surg.szote.u-szeged.hu
Abstract:
The involvement of potassium channels in the venodilating capacity of the inodilator levosimendan in human saphenous vein preparations was investigated. Levosimendan caused relaxation with 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 0.32 +/- 0.04 microM in isolated veins contracted by 5-hydroxytryptamine. Fifteen microM glibenclamide, a blocker of the ATP-sensitive potassium channels (K(ATP)), partially inhibited the relaxing effect of the inodilator. In the presence of iberiotoxin, the selective blocker of large conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (BK(Ca)), levosimendan induced contraction with EC50 of 0.21 +/- 0.06 microM. We presume that levosimendan dilates human saphenous veins by interacting with hyperpolarizing potassium channels (K(ATP) and BK(Ca)).
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