Effect of chengzai pill on the L-type Ca2+ channel currents of osteoblasts pretreated with methylprednisolone.

Objective: To observe the effect of the serum containing Chengzai Pill on the L-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels current (L-VSCCsC) of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells pretreated with methylprednisolone (mPSL).

Methods: A control group, a model group, a low dose group and a high dose group were set up. The whole cell patch clamp technique was used to record L-VSCCsC of 10 osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells in each group and their peak currents were determined.

Results: The peak current of the control group was 0.2284 +/- 0.0209 nA; the peak current of the model group was 0.1839 +/- 0.0179 nA; decreased by 19.5% as compared with the control group (P<0.01); the peak current of the low and high dose groups was 0.2526 +/- 0.0093 nA and 0.2671 +/- 0.0120 nA respectively, increased by 37.4% and 45.2% as compared with the model group (P<0.01); the difference between the low and high dose groups was P<0.05.

Conclusion: 1. mPSL inhibits L-VSCCsC of osteoblasts; and 2. The serum containing Chengzai Pill increases L-VSCCsC of osteoblasts pretreated with mPSL.