Antiarrhythmic and hemodynamic effects of prifuroline

The antiarrhythmic activity of 4-(2-benzofuranyl)-2-(dimethylamino)-1-pyrroline (prifuroline) has been evaluated in rats, guinea-pigs and dogs. Prifuroline dose-dependently antagonizes the arrhythmogenic action of aconitine in rats, when administered either intravenously (5, 10 or 20 mg/kg) or intraduodenally (10, 20 or 50 mg/kg); it exhibits effectiveness by the digestive route at doses only twice as greater as the active i.v. doses: its intravenous anti-aconitine activity is comparable to that of disopyramide, and superior to that of quinidine; lidocaine is inactive in this test. Prifuroline also diminishes ventricular susceptibility to electrical stimulation in open-chest rats; its effect is comparable to that of disopyramide and amiodarone at the same dose levels; quinidine and lidocaine are less effective. Only prifuroline and propranolol were able to antagonize ouabain toxicity in guinea-pigs, quinidine showing only borderline activity, and disopyramide, lidocaine and verapamil being ineffective. In a model of arrhythmias induced by anoxic stress in rats, all the tested compounds were found active, with prifuroline and disopyramide providing complete protection at high dose levels. The arrhythmias induced in dogs by coronary artery ligation were markedly antagonized by prifuroline after doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg i.v. or 30 mg/kg intraduodenally; the duration of its antiarrhythmic activity in this model of arrhythmias in conscious dogs was much longer after intraduodenal than after i.v. administration. Prifuroline was also able to restore sinus rhythm in guinea-pigs after intracardiac conduction blockade with acetylcholine, although being devoid of anticholinergic activity. It also diminishes the maximal frequency of guinea-pig atria electrically stimulated in viro (EC25 = 5 X 10(-6) g/ml).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)