CASSAINE AND CASSAIDINE: QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENTS OF HEART CONTRACTILE FORCE IN SITU

¹ Department of Pharmacology, Medical College of South Carolina, Charleston, S. C.

1. The Erythrophleum guineense alkaloids, cassaine and cassaidine, produced typical digitalis-like effects on heart contractile force, arterial pressure and ECG recordings in open-chest dog preparations.

2. At lower dose ranges (0.25 cat unit/kgm.) the quantitative increments in heart contractile force produced by cassaine and cassaidine were distinctly greater than with ouabain at a comparable dose level.

3. Effects with these alkaloids were more rapid in onset than with ouabain under comparable conditions while the arrhythmias they produced were much more transitory than with ouabain.

4. The emetic intensity of cassaidine was approximately the same as that. of Erythrophleum extract and ouabain at comparable dose levels.

5. At doses of 0.5 cat unit/kgm. and greater, cassaine produced marked, bizarre convulsions in the dog which were rapidly antagonized by pentobarbital anesthesia.

6. Limited studies did not demonstrate a characteristic cumulative toxicity with these alkaloids.

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