Abstract
Summary
A series of 9 corticosteroids dissolved in ethanol were studied in the isolated cat papillary muscle preparation maintained at 27°C in a reduced calcium buffer. Only aldosterone exerted a significant positive inotropic effect. The magnitude of this positive inotropic effect was larger than previously observed at 37°C in a normal calcium buffer. The ethanol was markedly depressant to the papillary muscles. Hydrocortisone and dex-amethasone, in aqueous solutions, also exerted positive inotropic effects, whereas prednisolone and methylprednisolone were ineffective. Lowering the sodium or the potassium concentration of the medium did not result in significant inotropic responses to aldosterone or hydrocortisone.
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