Calcium channel antagonist binding and pharmacology in rat uterine smooth muscle

The calcium channel antagonists altered Ca-dependence of high K+-contractions of the estrogen dominant rat myometrium with the following pA2 values: PN-200-110, 10.63; nitrendipine, 9.56; nifedipine, 9.41; D-600, 9.05; and diltiazem, 7.57. Specific binding of 3H-nitrendipine occurred to the isolated plasma membrane vesicles with Kd of 0.1 to 0.3 nM and was inhibited by PN-200-110, nitrendipine, nifedipine and D-600, and slightly activated by diltiazem. The binding studies and the contractility studies were in excellent agreement for the three dihydropyridines, but not for D-600 and diltiazem.