Abstract
Summary
The erythrophleum alkaloids, cassaine and coumingine, affect active transport of potassium by human erythrocytes as do the cardiac glycosides. At low concentrations both groups of compounds slightly increase K transfer from plasma to cells: higher concentrations inhibit the process. These effects probably reflect activation and inhibition of a membrane ATPase which others have implicated in the active movements of cations in erythrocytes. Erythrophleum alkaloids and cardiac glycosides also share similar effects on mammalian hearts. In view of the structural differences between the 2 classes of compounds, and their biological similarities in 2 kinds of tissue, it is suggested that previous views on minimal structural requirements for digitalis-like activity in hearts and erythrocytes be revised.
Cassaine sulfate was supplied by Dr. Robert Dowben from stock originally obtained from Prof. Ruzicka. Coumingine was donated by Dr. A. C. Keyl. We would like to thank both for their generosity. It is a pleasure to thank Frl. Rosemary Rottenberg for expert and willing technical assistance.
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