[The positive chronotropic effects of salsolinol on the isolated rat heart]

Salsolinol (6,7-dioxy-1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisochinoline), a product of nonenzymatic condensation of dopamine and acetaldehyde, produced a dose-dependent positive chronotropic effect on the rat isolated perfused heart: EC = 5.6 X 10(-6) M. Inderal, a beta-adrenoreceptor antagonist (10(-5) g/ml), blocked and naloxone, an opioid receptor antagonist (3.1 X 10(-5) M), potentiated this effect. Apart from tachycardia, salsolinol induced arrhythmias which were inhibited by naloxone. Salsolinol seems to play an important role in regulating the heart performance.