• Hong Wang, Qi-sheng Liang, Lan-ren Cheng, Xiao-hong Li, Wei Fu, Wen-tao Dai, and Shi-tong Li.
• Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, China.
• Acta Pharmacol. Sin. 2011 Dec 1; 32 (12): 1454-9.

AimTo investigate the effect of magnesium sulfate and its interaction with the non-depolarizing muscle relaxant vecuronium at adult muscle-type acetylcholine receptors in vitro.MethodsAdult muscle-type acetylcholine receptors were expressed in HEK293 cells. Drug-containing solution was applied via a gravity-driven perfusion system. The inward currents were activated by brief application of acetylcholine (ACh), and recorded using whole-cell voltage-clamp technique.ResultsMagnesium sulfate (1-100 mmol/L) inhibited the inward currents induced ACh (10 μmol/L) in a concentration-dependent manner (IC(50)=29.2 mmol/L). The inhibition of magnesium sulfate was non-competitive. In contrast, vecuronium produced a potent inhibition on the adult muscle-type acetylcholine receptor (IC(50)=8.7 nmol/L) by competitive antagonism. Magnesium sulfate at the concentrations of 1, 3, and 6 mmol/L markedly enhanced the inhibition of vecuronium (10 nmol/L) on adult muscle-type acetylcholine receptors.ConclusionClinical enhancement of vecuronium-induced muscle relaxation by magnesium sulfate can be attributed partly to synergism between magnesium sulfate and non-depolarizing muscle relaxants at adult muscle-type acetylcholine receptors.

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