PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - K. K. CHEN AU - FRANK A. STELDT AU - JOSEF FRIED AU - ROBERT C. ELDERFIELD TI - THE ACTION OF SIMPLE LACTONES RELATED TO CARDIAC AGLYCONES DP - 1942 Apr 01 TA - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics PG - 381--391 VI - 74 IP - 4 4099 - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/74/4/381.short 4100 - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/74/4/381.full SO - J Pharmacol Exp Ther1942 Apr 01; 74 AB - 1. Twenty-seven unsaturated lactones related to cardiac aglycones have been studied pharmacologically. 2. β,γ-Angelica lactone, the lactone of 21-hydroxy-Δ20,22-norcholenic acid, methyl coumalate, and ethyl coumalate, cause systolic standstill of frogs' ventricles when adequate doses are injected into the ventral lymph sac. β-(β-Naphthyl)-Δα,β-butenolide has a suggestive action. 3. In cats, β,υ-angelica lactone and methyl and ethyl coumalates all produce a fall of blood pressure and fail to induce emesis. Electrocardiographically, no ectopic rhythm, multiple foci of impulse formation, various forms of aberrant QRS complexes, and terminal ventricular fibrillation occur as the lethal dose is slowly approached. The evidence in cats is therefore not indicative of any digitalis-like action of the three substances.