[Experimental heart muscle necorses in the rat after administration of 1-noreadrenaline and strophanthin. Light- and electron microscopic studies (author's transl)]

Abstract

Female rats with a body weight of approximately 200 g regular show necroses of myocardial fibers after subcutaneous injection of 1-Noradrenaline (2.5 mg/kg body weight). After intraperitoneal premedication with Strophanthin k in a therapeutical dosage (2 X 10(-5 g/kg body weight), the increase in number and extent of the necroses is statistically significant. These findings argue against a preventive effect of Strophanthin k and can be explained by the mode of action of catecholamines and glycosides, as both substances, in a like manner, cause an increase in the mobilizable intracellular calcium of the myocardial fiber. Premedication with Strophanthin causes no alteration in the distribution pattern of necroses, nor in the electron-microscope findings in the case of myocardial necroses produced by Noradrenaline.