ON THE ELIMINATION OF G-STROPHANTHIN BY THE RAT

¹ Department of Pharmacology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

In rats Under anaesthesia, the lethal dose of g-strophanthin is reduced by partial or total (functional) hepatectomy (evisceration). This reduction is pro-portional to the log of percentage hepatectomy.

Liver hypertrophy following removal of the median and left lateral lobes of the liver is accompanied by a gradual increase in the lethal dose of g-strophanthin. This increase is not directly proportional to the increase in liver weight.

In in vitro experiments with rat blood and rat liver slices no appreciable destruction of g-strophanthin can be demonstrated.

Rat liver slices combine with g-strophanthin. This combination is inhibited by HCN and does not occur in the absence of oxygen.

The elimination of g-strophanthin is markedly reduced by evisceration.

Following the infusion of g-strophanthin appreciable quantities of cardioactive material can be detected in the bile of the rat.

In the light of previous experimental findings and our own data, the mechanism of g-strophanthin elimination has been discussed, and it is concluded that in the rat the hepatic route of excretion is the main route of elimination of g-strophanthin.