title: Polarographic measurement of ascorbate washout in isolated perfused rabbit hearts.
abstract: To study the myocardial washout of ascorbate, the applicability of polarographic detection of ascorbate ions by a platinum electrode (sensitive area 0.03 mm2) was investigated, in both a calibration setup (sampling flow along the electrode: 100 microliter X s-1) and isolated, retrogradely perfused rabbit hearts. In the calibration setup at pH 7.4, the sensitivity of the electrode was 70 microA/mol. This sensitivity increased moderately with increasing pH (13%/unit pH) and increasing sampling flow rate (14% at an increase from 100 to 150 microliter X s-1). In the isolated hearts, ascorbate infused into the aorta was detected in a right ventricular drain by the electrode as well as by the use of 14C-labeled ascorbate. Both recorded time courses were similar except for a scaling factor dependent on flow velocity. During continuous infusion the arteriovenous difference of ascorbate was 2 +/- 2% (SD), indicating a relatively low consumption of ascorbate by the isolated heart. We conclude that polarographic measurement of ascorbate in the coronary effluent of an isolated rabbit heart can be performed on-line and relatively easily.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D004566:Electrodes; D006321:Heart; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D010477:Perfusion; D011048:Polarography; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D001205:Ascorbic Acid