title: Action of guanethidine on rabbit atrial membranes.
abstract: 1 Intracellular potentials were recorded in driven left atria from reserpine-treated rabbits. Guanethidine 2 X 10(-5) M slightly increased Vmax and shortened the total duration (TD) of the action potential (AP) without causing hyperpolarization. For the first 30 min after 4 X 10(-4) M, Vmax increased without hyperpolarization and AP height increased slightly. Thereafter, Vmax and height decreased with a slight and gradual depolarization. This depolarization was irreversible. TD was increased after 15 minutes. Guanethidine 2 X 10(-3) M initially decreased Vmax and height before causing depolarization. 2. Pretreatment with tetrodotoxin (TTX) 1.6 X 10(-7) M prevented or reversed the initial increases in Vmax, height and TD induced by guanethidine (4 X 10(-4) M). 3 TTX 3.1 to 6.2 X 10(-6) M, added 15 or 30 min after guanethidine 4 X 10(-4) M, delayed or prevented depolarization by guanethidine. 4 Ouabain 10(-5) M incubated for 20 and 90 min greatly inhibited Na+, K+-adenosine triphosphatase and K+-phosphatase activities; guanethidine was without effect. 5 Guanethidine probably increases resting sodium permeability after the promotion of increases in sodium permeability during the AP. High doses of the drug decrease sodium permeability during the AP.
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006145:Guanethidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D010042:Ouabain / Q000494:pharmacology; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D010042:Ouabain; D012964:Sodium; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D011188:Potassium; D006145:Guanethidine