The effect of Hydergine ® on the filterability of erythrocytes from hyperosmolar blood

Abstract

Addition of low doses of Hydergine^®, a drug containing a mixture of hydrated ergotalkaloids to hyperosmolar blood in vitro leads to a dose-dependent increase in erythrocyte filterability through a 8 μ filter system. The concentrat ions of Hydergine^® used in the present experiments ranged from 0.04675–6.0 mg Hydergine/l00 ml blood. Blood samples were incubated for 90 min at 37° C, measuring temperature was also 37° C. It could be shown that the drug-induced increase in erythrocyte filterability was not dependend on the presence of leucocytes. At higher osmolarity values, when the erythrocytes were more rigid, higher concentrations of HydergineR were needed in order to obtain a comparable improvement in red cell filterability.