STUDIES ON VERATRUM ALKALOIDS I. THE ACTION OF VERATRINE UPON THE ISOLATED MAMMALIAN HEART

¹ From the Department of Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

The cardiac action of non-toxic doses of veratrine was studied in the heart-lung preparation of the dog. The most important phase of this action is an effect upon the heart muscle which, particularly in the failing heart, increases the total output and improves the work of the heart, simultaneously with a decrease in the diastolic ventricular volume. The auricular pressure decreases. This action is similar to, although not identical with, the action of cardiac glycosides upon the mammalian heart.

The action of veratrine upon heart rate is not consistent; as a rule there is a decrease in rate.

The coronary flow in the normal heart remains unchanged, while in the failing heart veratrine causes a transient increase.

In the normal heart-lung preparation the pulmonary arterial resistance either remains unchanged or is slightly reduced. If a marked increase in pulmonary pressure accompanies the development of heart failure, veratrine causes a marked reduction in the resistance of the pulmonary arteries.

The effective, therapeutic, and toxic doses are reported, and the intensity and duration of action with administration of single and repeated doses of veratrine are discussed.

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