Emopamil is a
calcium channel
A calcium channel is an ion channel which shows selective permeability to calcium ions. It is sometimes synonymous with voltage-gated calcium channel, although there are also ligand-gated calcium channels.
Comparison tables
The following tables e ...
blocker and a high-affinity
ligand
In coordination chemistry, a ligand is an ion or molecule (functional group) that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex. The bonding with the metal generally involves formal donation of one or more of the ligand's electr ...
of human
sterol
Sterol is an organic compound with formula , whose molecule is derived from that of gonane by replacement of a hydrogen atom in position 3 by a hydroxyl group. It is therefore an alcohol of gonane. More generally, any compounds that contain the go ...
isomerase.
Structure
Emopamil's structure consists of an organic
amino compound,
nitrile
In organic chemistry, a nitrile is any organic compound that has a functional group. The prefix ''cyano-'' is used interchangeably with the term ''nitrile'' in industrial literature. Nitriles are found in many useful compounds, including met ...
compound and a member of two
benzene rings.
Applications
Emopamil also known as EMP is a
phenylalkylamine
Substituted phenethylamines (or simply phenethylamines) are a chemical class of organic compounds that are based upon the phenethylamine structure; the class is composed of all the derivative compounds of phenethylamine which can be formed by ...
and inhibitor of
5-hydroxytryptamine
Serotonin () or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter. Its biological function is complex and multifaceted, modulating mood, cognition, reward, learning, memory, and numerous physiological processes such as vomiting and vas ...
5-HT2 receptors. EMP includes a chiral quaternary carbon center, and research has indicated that its
optical isomers
In chemistry, a molecule or ion is called chiral () if it cannot be superposed on its mirror image by any combination of rotations, translations, and some conformational changes. This geometric property is called chirality (). The terms are d ...
have different biological effects. It interacts in an extracellular site of the
nerve cell to inhibit calcium channel responses while other phenylalkylamines act at an intracellular site. The interaction site of emopamil suggests to its greater neuroprotective efficacy in research related to
ischaemia
Ischemia or ischaemia is a restriction in blood supply to any tissue, muscle group, or organ of the body, causing a shortage of oxygen that is needed for cellular metabolism (to keep tissue alive). Ischemia is generally caused by problems wi ...
.
[Keith RA, Mangano TJ, DeFeo PA, Ernst GE, Warawa EJ. Differential inhibition of neuronal calcium entry and HD-aspartate release by the quaternary derivatives of verapamil and emopamil. Br J Pharmacol. 1994 Oct;113(2):379-84. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1994.tb16999.x. PMID: 7834187; PMCID: PMC1510140.]
See also
*
EBP (gene)
*
Voltage-dependent calcium channels
Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs), also known as voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs), are a group of voltage-gated ion channels found in the membrane of excitable cells (''e.g.'', muscle, glial cells, neurons, etc.) with a permeabi ...
*
Verapamil
Verapamil, sold under various trade names, is a calcium channel blocker medication used for the treatment of high blood pressure, angina (chest pain from not enough blood flow to the heart), and supraventricular tachycardia. It may also be used ...
References
{{biochem-stub
Calcium channel blockers
Nitriles
Amines
Isopropyl compounds