Digitoxin Treatment Research Articles

Collagen metabolism of the rat heart during experimental cardiac hypertrophy and the effect of digitoxin treatment.

In cardiac hypertrophy the total content of collagen is increased in the myocardium. The first indicator of the increased activity of connective tissue cells is an increase in the activity of prolyl hydroxylase of the myocardium. This is later followed by an increase in the rate of collagen synthesis and subsequently collagen is accumulated in the myocardium. Digitoxin treatment prevents the hypertrophy and the accumulation of proteins to the myocardium. This effect of digitoxin is, at least partly, explained by a decreased transport of amino acids into the cells, The results emphasize the importance of amino acid supply to the process of hypertrophy.

Delayed onset and reduced severity of adrenal-compression hypertension in rats treated with digitoxin.

1. Bilateral compression of adrenal glands combined with unilateral nephrectomy and followed by imposition of a high sodium chloride intake caused severe hypertension in all rats, accompanied by enlargement of the heart, kidneys and adrenal glands, atrophy of the thymus and severe nephrosclerosis. 2. Digitoxin treatment delayed the onset, reduced the incidence and ameliorated the magnitude of the hypertensive response in such rats; it also reduced the degree of cardiac hypertrophy, the severity of nephrosclerosis and completely prevented enlargement of the adrenals and kidneys or atrophy of the thymus.

Serial tests of serum-digitoxin levels during digitoxin treatment (author's transl)

Serial tests of serum-digitoxin levels during digitoxin treatment (author's transl)

Digitoxin treatment and experimental cardiac hypertrophy in the rat

Cardiac hypertrophy was produced in rats by constricting the abdominal aorta. When the animals were digitalized before the operation the development of cardiac hypertrophy, as well as the increase in the content and labelling of myocardial proteins, could be prevented. However, in spite of treatment with digitoxin a significant increase both in the content and labelling of myocardial RNA was seen in animals with constriction of the aorta. The results indicate that as digitoxin treatment prevents the cardiac hypertrophy it interferes with protein synthesis through a mechanism which has smaller effects on RNA synthesis.

Digitoxin treatment in practice

Drug Prescribing for Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in General Practice: a Cross-Sectional Study