Aim: To test if puerarin (Pue) affects slow sodium current in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons.
Methods: Tetrodotoxin resistant (TTXr) sodium current was recorded with whole cell patch clamp technique on DRG neurons of young adult rats.
Results: Pue 0.01-2 mmol.L-1 inhibited TTXr sodium current by 9.5%-83.2%. The inhibition was concentration-dependent and partially reversible, but was not use-dependent nor voltage-dependent. Pue did not affect the inactivation but changed the potential for half maximal conductance from -26 mV to -16 mV, suggesting the activation process was inhibited.
Conclusion: Pue moderately inhibits TTXr sodium current of rat DRG neurons.