[Protective effect of glucose-insulin-potassium solutions in myocardial damage caused by emetine]

This study was carried out on 170 dogs. Cardiotoxic effects of doses of 15 mg/kg of emetine hydrochloride were studied in 20 dogs. 20 mg/kg of emetine hydrochloride were administered intravenously over 60 min. to the remaining 150 animals. These dogs were distributed in groups of 25. One group received emetine alone. Phleboclyses with saline serum, glucose-insulin-potassium, glocose-insulin, glucose-potassium and glucose serum alone, respectively, were administered to the other 5 groups during the emetine infusion and cardial contraction and several electrograms were recorded. Mean systolic blood pressure was measured continuously in the femoral artery. Observations covered a 4 hour period. During the infusion of emetine alone, ventricular myocardial contraction and systemic arterial pressure decreased abruptly. Intra-atrial, atrio-ventricular and intraventricular conduction disorders, as weel as primary ventricular repolarization changes, were also observed. At the end of this infusion, the Q-T interval increased 25% and the heart rate decreased 26% of the control values. In the group also receiving glucose-insulin-potassium solution, the fall of the ventricular contraction amplitude was significantly less than in animals given emetine alone. Primary ventricular repolarization changes were less evident. The mortality rate reached only 4 per cent. In conclusion, the doses of emetine hydrochloride employed here have depressive cardiocirculatory effects. Glucose-insulin-potassium solution, administered simultaneously with emetine, seems to have a favorable metabolic effect against the emetine cardiotoxicity. This protective action of the G-I-K solution is superior to that obtained with each component, administered separately, and with saline serum.