Effect of Different Alcohols on the Contractile Force of the Isolated Guinea Pig Myocardium

摘要

The effect of methanol ethanol, n-propanol, i-propanol, n-butanol, i-butanol, n-pentanol and i-pentanol on myocardial contractile force was studied using the isolated guinea pig ventricular strip. Ethanol (.03 to .3 M) caused a concentration-related reduction of myocardial contractile force. Similarly geometrically increasing concentrations of the 7 other alcohols .003 to 1 M) decreased contractile force essentially in proportion to the concentration. The magnitude of myocardial depression produced by the 8 alcohols was proportional to the length of their carbon chains. When the pD2 value of each alcohol studied was related to its structure, among the alkyl alcohols, methanol and n-pentanol caused, respectively, the least and the greatest depression of contractile force. When sucrose (.01 to .3 M) was added to the media to produce hyperosmolarity equivalent to that induced by ethanol, sucrose did not alter the contractile force significantly. The study suggests that the negative inotropic action of ethanol and other alcohols is not caused indirectly by the accompanying hyperosmolarity, but most likely is caused by their direct affinity for myocardial cell structures and their consequent effects on cellular function. (Author) Portions of this document are not fully legible.