Prevention of calcium-induced membrane structural alterations in erythrocyte membranes by flunarizine.

ABSTRACT

The calcium antagonist flunarizine is shown to be able to prevent particle aggregation, membrane aggregation and blebbing resulting from elevated calcium concentrations. The anti-ischemic effects of flunarizine may therefore result in part from its ability to directly interfere with calcium-membrane interactions and thus prevent the lethal membrane reorganizations which occur after a period of ischemia during intracellular calcium overload.