Pharmacological actions of "kyushin," a drug containing toad venom (3): Effects on experimentally induced arrhythmia

Am J Chin Med. 1993;21(2):139-49. doi: 10.1142/S0192415X93000170.

Abstract

The pharmacological effects of the toad venom-containing drug "kyushin" on aconitine- and thyroxine-induced arrhythmia in guinea pigs, on the conduction system in Langendorff preparations of rabbit hearts and on the autonomic nervous system in cats were studied. "kyushin" significantly inhibited the aconitine-induced arrhythmia after intraduodenal administration (i.d.) with 80 mg/kg, and the thyroxine-induced arrhythmia with 40 mg/kg i.d. Although "kyushin" itself did not affect the conduction system with 30 mg/ml of the maximal concentration being able to be prepared, bufalin and cinobufagin as constituents of toad venom produced inhibition with 0.3 mg/ml and 1 mg/ml, respectively. The decrease in heart rate induced by electrical stimulation to the parasympathetic nerve (vagus nerve) was potentiated by "kyushin" at 30 mg/kg i.d. The anti-arrhythmic effects of "kyushin" may be attributable to both possible inhibitory effect on the conduction system and potentiating effect on the parasympathetic nervous system.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Aconitine / toxicity
  • Amphibian Venoms / pharmacology
  • Amphibian Venoms / therapeutic use*
  • Animals
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / chemically induced
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / drug therapy*
  • Autonomic Nervous System / drug effects
  • Cats
  • Digoxin / pharmacology
  • Electric Stimulation
  • Female
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Heart Conduction System / drug effects
  • Heart Rate / drug effects*
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Male
  • Materia Medica / therapeutic use*
  • Propranolol / pharmacology
  • Rabbits
  • Thyroxine / toxicity

Substances

  • Amphibian Venoms
  • Materia Medica
  • Digoxin
  • Propranolol
  • Thyroxine
  • Aconitine