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  • Title: Calciseptine, a peptide isolated from black mamba venom, is a specific blocker of the L-type calcium channel.
    Author: de Weille JR, Schweitz H, Maes P, Tartar A, Lazdunski M.
    Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A; 1991 Mar 15; 88(6):2437-40. PubMed ID: 1848702.
    Abstract:
    The venom of the black mamba contains a 60-amino acid peptide called calciseptine. The peptide has been fully sequenced. It is a smooth muscle relaxant and an inhibitor of cardiac contractions. Its physiological action resembles that of drugs, such as the 1,4-dihydropyridines, which are important in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Calciseptine, like the 1,4-dihydropyridines, selectively blocks L-type Ca2+ channels and is totally inactive on other voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels such as N-type and T-type channels. To our knowledge, it is the only natural polypeptide that has been shown to be a specific inhibitor of L-type Ca2+ channels.
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