enkephalin--ala(2)-mephe(4)-gly(5)- and Arrhythmias--Cardiac

In acute experiments on Nembutal-anesthetized cats, the effect of opiate receptor agonists DAGO, DSLET, and dinorphin A(1-13) on the incidence of idioventricular rhythm disturbances, including ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation, was studied under conditions of occlusion of circumflex branch of the left coronary artery and stimulation of the sensorimotor cortex. The most pronounced effects were observed with DSLET and dinorphin A(1-13). These preparations completely prevented ventricular fibrillation. DAGO produced a less pronounced protective effect probably because of parallel increase in plasma catecholamine concentration.

Topics: Analgesics, Opioid; Animals; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Cats; Dynorphins; Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-; Enkephalin, Leucine; Motor Cortex; Myocardial Ischemia; Peptide Fragments; Receptors, Opioid

Topics: Animals; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Cats; Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-; Enkephalin, Leucine; Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine; Enkephalins; Female; Heart; Lasers; Male; Myocardial Ischemia; Myocardium; Opioid Peptides; Receptors, Opioid; Sympathectomy

Topics: Acute Disease; Animals; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Cats; Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-; Enkephalins; Female; Male; Myocardial Ischemia; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated; Receptors, Opioid, mu; Vagotomy; Vagus Nerve

Topics: Animals; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Atropine; Autonomic Nervous System; Electrocardiography; Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-; Enkephalins; Epinephrine; Ganglionic Blockers; Hexamethonium; Male; Muscarinic Antagonists; Naloxone; Narcotic Antagonists; Oligopeptides; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, Opioid, mu

The antiarrhythmic activities of 16-methylcyprenorphine (M8008), nor-binaltorphimine (NBT) and naltrexone, which are relatively specific opioid receptor antagonists for delta, kappa and mu receptors, respectively, were examined during the 30 min following coronary artery occlusion in anaesthetised rats. The haemodynamic and electrocardiographic effects of the opioid receptor agonists [D-Ala2,D-Leu5]enkephalin (DADLE) (relatively selective for delta receptors), ICI-204448 (kappa) and glyol (mu) were also investigated over the 30-90 min post ligation period. When administered intravenously 5 min before ligation, M8008 (0.5 mg kg-1 and 2.5 mg kg-1) reduced the number of ventricular ectopic beats but had no effect on the incidence or duration of ventricular fibrillation. NBT and naltrexone were not antiarrhythmic at a dose of 0.5 mg kg-1 but at 2.5 mg kg-1 (a concentration at which both drugs block kappa receptors) the number of ventricular ectopic beats, the incidence of ventricular fibrillation and mortality were all reduced. All of the opioid receptor agonists caused a transient decrease in heart rate and in arterial blood pressure but none exhibited an arrhythmogenic effect. These studies suggest that the delta and kappa opioid receptor antagonists used may be antiarrhythmic as a result of blockade of the action of endogenously released peptides acting on these receptors or that they have a non-specific 'direct' antiarrhythmic action.

Topics: Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Coronary Disease; Coronary Vessels; Electrophysiology; Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-; Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine; Enkephalins; Hemodynamics; Male; Morphinans; Naltrexone; Narcotic Antagonists; Pyrrolidines; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Receptors, Opioid; Receptors, Opioid, delta; Receptors, Opioid, kappa; Receptors, Opioid, mu

The purpose of this study was to examine the hypothesis that the calcium channel blocker, diltiazem, modulates catecholamine-induced arrhythmias through CNS mechanisms. Rats, that had catheters previously inserted into the lateral cerebral ventricle and femoral artery, received diltiazem, 10 or 50 micrograms/kg or the diluent, into the lateral cerebral ventricle (i.c.v.). Epinephrine was infused to produce arrhythmias. The onset of ventricular arrhythmias, premature ventricular complexes, occurred at a significantly (P less than 0.05) greater dose of epinephrine, after diltiazem, compared to the control group and in a dose-dependent manner, with the mean (+/- 1 SEM) dose of epinephrine being 198 +/- 5, 175 +/- 13 and 115 +/- 15 micrograms/kg in the groups treated with 50 and 10 micrograms/kg of diltiazem and the control groups, respectively. The development of fatal arrhythmias, mainly ventricular tachyarrhythmias, occurred at significantly (P less than 0.05) greater concentrations of epinephrine with diltiazem, 50 and 10 micrograms/kg, 225 +/- 5 and 183 +/- 13 micrograms/kg, respectively, compared to controls, 131 +/- 15 micrograms/kg. Endogenous opioids of the mu-type were implicated in this action of diltiazem, because the mu opioid antagonist naloxone, 1 mg/kg (i.v.), significantly (P less than 0.05) antagonized the antiarrhythmic effects of centrally administered diltiazem and the mu opioid agonist DAGO (i.c.v.), did not further enhance the suppression of epinephrine-induced arrhythmias, produced by diltiazem, 50 micrograms/kg. Atropine sulfate, which crosses the blood-brain barrier and atropine methylnitrate, which does not enter the brain, each at 1 mg/kg (i.v.), produced an equal and significant antagonism of the effect of diltiazem, 50 micrograms/kg, that was less than that of naloxone. The combination of naloxone plus atropine sulfate completely prevented the effect of diltiazem, 50 micrograms/kg, on arrhythmias. The antiarrythmic action of diltiazem could not be explained by alteration of the blood pressure or heart rate response to epinephrine. The results suggest that: (a) calcium channels on neurons in the CNS play an important role in the modulation of epinephrine-induced cardiac arrhythmias, (b) diltiazem can suppress arrhythmias through CNS mechanisms, (c) activation of the parasympathetic nervous system mediates some of the effect of diltiazem, but (d) the mechanism of action of diltiazem is modulated through endogenous opioids.

Topics: Acetylcholine; Animals; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Atropine; Blood Pressure; Brain; Diltiazem; Endorphins; Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-; Enkephalins; Epinephrine; Heart Rate; Injections, Intraventricular; Naloxone; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains

Cardiac opioid receptors have been shown to be involved in the genesis of arrhythmias during ischemia and reperfusion. The present study was aimed at elucidating the receptor subtype(s) involved in arrhythmogenesis. Two series of experiments were conducted. In the first, effects of prototype opioid agonists, namely, (D-Ala2, NMe4, Gly-ol)-Enkephalin (DAGO), U50,488H and (D-Pen2, Pen5)-Enkephalin (DPDPE) and (D-Ala2, D-Leu2)-Enkephalin (DADLE), representing mu-, kappa- and delta-agonists, respectively, in disturbing the normal cardiac rhythm in the isolated perfused rat heart were investigated. Both DAGO and U50,488H were arrhythmogenic, whereas the effects of the delta-agonists, DPDPE and DADLE at a same dose range (44-396 nmol/heart) as that of DAGO were almost negligible. U50,488H was by far the most potent as it induced ventricular arrhythmias including frequent PVC and VT even at a dose (44 nmol/heart) at which other agonists either produced no or negligible effect. In the second series of experiments, the antiarrhythmogenic effects of mu-antagonist (naloxone) and kappa-antagonist (MR 2266) against arrhythmias arising during ischemia and reperfusion were compared. The effects of MR 2266 were significantly greater than that of naloxone. Results of the present study suggest that the cardiac kappa-receptors are the most likely receptor-subtype involved in arrhythmogenesis during ischemia and reperfusion.

Topics: Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Benzomorphans; Coronary Disease; Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-; Enkephalin, D-Penicillamine (2,5)-; Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine; Enkephalins; Female; In Vitro Techniques; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury; Myocardium; Perfusion; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Receptors, Opioid

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the millimicrons opioid agonist D-Ala-2-Me-Phe-4-Gly-ol enkephalin (DAGO) on catecholamine-induced arrhythmias. Arrhythmias were produced, in the rat, by continuous infusion of epinephrine until the development of fatal arrhythmias that were usually ventricular fibrillation. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of DAGO, 3 nmol, significantly (p less than 0.05) shifted to the right the relationship between epinephrine and both the onset of ventricular arrhythmias and the development of fatal arrhythmias. Naloxone, 1 mg/kg i.v., prevented these effects of DAGO. Atropine, 1 mg/kg i.v. or 20 micrograms/kg ICV, prevented the shift in these dose response relationships. Antagonism of DAGO's effects on arrhythmias could not be explained by an alteration of the blood pressure response to epinephrine. However, DAGO significantly increased blood pressure and decreased heart rate in separate experiments in animals that did not receive epinephrine and atropine prevent the heart rate and blood pressure effects of DAGO. These data show that 1) the millimicrons opioid receptor agonist DAGO suppresses epinephrine-induced arrhythmias, 2) the site of action can be within the CNS, 3) there is a role for the central parasympathetic nervous system to mediate the effect of DAGO and 4) endogenous opioids could modulate catecholamine-induced cardiac arrhythmias.

Topics: Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Atropine; Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-; Enkephalins; Epinephrine; Parasympathetic Nervous System; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains