The effect of pancuronium on myocardial contraction and catecholamine metabolism

The effects of pancuronium bromide infusion on the uptake and release of [14C] noradrenaline (14C-NA) by the isolated, perfused rat heart and on the chronotropic and inotropic activity of the isolated heart were evaluated. Hearts were removed from animals under light ether anaesthesia, transferred to a modified Langendorff perfusing apparatus and perfused with Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate solution at a rate of 5 ml min-1. The effect of pancuronium on the uptake of noradrenaline was determined by perfusing hearts for 5 min with perfusate containing various concentrations of pancuronium and 200 ng ml-1 of 14C-NA. After 5 min pancuronium-treated hearts contained less 14C-NA. The degree of reduced uptake increased with increasing concentrations of pancuronium. In addition, the combination of pancuronium perfusion and electrical stimulation (15 mA for 10 ms at 4 Hz) blocked the 50 min uptake of 14C-NA by the heart to a greater degree than either factor separately. The release of noradrenaline was determined after perfusing hearts with 14C-NA followed by perfusion with solution containing pancuronium but no 14C-NA for 1 h. Pancuronium infusion did not significantly alter the release of 14C-NA from the heart after 1 h of perfusion. The in...Continue Reading