Bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory activities of glaucine:In vitrostudies in human airway smooth muscle and polymorphonuclear leukocytes

Selective phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors are of potential interest in the treatment of asthma. We examined the effects of the alkaloid S-(+)-glaucine, a PDE4 inhibitor, on human isolated bronchus and granulocyte function. Glaucine selectively inhibited PDE4 from human bronchus and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in a non-competitive manner (Ki=3.4 μM). Glaucine displaced [3H]-rolipram from its high-affinity binding sites in rat brain cortex membranes (IC50∼100 μM). Glaucine inhibited the spontaneous and histamine-induced tone in human isolated bronchus (pD2∼4.5). Glaucine (10 μM) did not potentiate the isoprenaline-induced relaxation but augmented cyclic AMP accumulation by isopre…