Mechanism of nafazatrom-induced inhibition of rat uterus contractions in vitro.

Nafazatrom inhibits, in a dose-dependent way, the amplitude and frequency of the rhythmic contractions induced by oxytocin (4 mU/ml), as well as the methacholine (10(-5) M)- and CaCl2 (10 mM)-induced contractions, and the phasic response to KCl (60 mM); similarly, it inhibits the tonic contraction induced by KCl (60 mM) and oxytocin (10 mU/ml). A single concentration of nafazatrom (10(-4) M) also inhibits the uterine contractions caused by carbachol (10(-4) M) and prostaglandin F2 alpha (10(-6) M). CaCl2 (0.1-10 mM) only partially reverses the inhibition produced by nafazatrom on the KCl-induced tonic contractions. Bay K 8644 (3 x 10(-10)-3 x 10(-7) M) reverses the inhibition by 10(-4) M but not by 3 x 10(-4) M of nafazatrom on the CaCl2-induced contractions. Nafazatrom also inhibits, in a dose-dependent way, the calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase activity. Our results would suggest that, independently of its 5-lipoxygenase blocking activity, nafazatrom inhibits the contractions of the rat uterus by inhibiting the calmodulin activity and, presumably, by reducing the influx of extracellular calcium and/or the mobilization of intracellular calcium.