Abstract:
In whole cell voltage clamp experiment with isolated guinea pig ventricularmyocytes,tocainide was shown to exhibit a concentration-dependent inhibition of calcium current(
Ica)and deldyed rectifiet potassium current(
Ik).Tocainide with a therapeutic concentration of 50umol·L
-1 significantly inhibited the
Ica and Itail(deactivating tail current of Ik)by 16%and 3%respectively.Inhibition of
Ica by tocainide was also shown to be dependent upon stimulatingfrequencies,with a greater blockade occurring at 2.0 Hz (57%)than at 0.2 Hz(17%).Tocainidewas found to inhibit the
Ik,ATP by 74%at 200 umol·L
-1 but not at 50 umol·L
-1.These inhibitoryeffects on Ica and
Ik can probably explain the therapeutic effect of tocainide on supraventriculartachycardia,and the shortening of plateau phase of action potential.