Isolation and investigation of potassium channel activity of Aconitum diterpene alkaloids

Background: Diterpene alkaloids isolated from Aconitum species exert activity on Na+ and K+ channels thus these compounds have strong cardiac effects. Depending on skeletal types and substitution patterns the binding affinity may be diverse. The majority of Aconitum alkaloids may cause arrhythmia and heart arrest by the activation of voltage-dependent Na+ channels. Others act as competitive antagonist of the arrhythmogenics by blocking the Na+ channel and the delayed rectifier K+ current. Those Na+ channel-blocking diterpene alkaloids which show activity on GIRK (G protein-activated inwardly rectifying potassium…