Biomaterial Database

The effect of harmaline on force of contraction of the rat isolated atrium. 1975

H Chamorro, and J Narvarte, and G Diaz, and R Carpentier

In rat isolated right atria, beating spontaneously at 30 degrees C, harmaline 8.3 times 10-5 M slowed atrial rate and enhanced force of contraction. The velocity of development of tension (dT/dt) increased and time to peak tension was lengthened. Electrical drive of otherwise quiescent left atria showed that (1) within the range of change of rate induced by harmaline the reduction of frequency of stimulation increased dT/dt and peak tension developed, and (2) at a constant rate of stimulation harmaline produced a prolongation of time to peak tension and an enhancement of peak tension. We concluded that two mechanisms are responsible for the inotropic action of harmaline on rat atrium: (1) an increase in dT/dt due to the lengthening of the interval between beats; (2) a direct action of harmaline on the processes responsible for atrial contraction, which determines a lengthening of time to peak tension.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007211	Indoles	Benzopyrroles with the nitrogen at the number one carbon adjacent to the benzyl portion, in contrast to ISOINDOLES which have the nitrogen away from the six-membered ring.
D011725	Pyridines	Compounds with a six membered aromatic ring containing NITROGEN. The saturated version is PIPERIDINES.
D003864	Depression, Chemical	The decrease in a measurable parameter of a PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESS, including cellular, microbial, and plant; immunological, cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive, urinary, digestive, neural, musculoskeletal, ocular, and skin physiological processes; or METABOLIC PROCESS, including enzymatic and other pharmacological processes, by a drug or other chemical.	Chemical Depression,Chemical Depressions,Depressions, Chemical
D004558	Electric Stimulation	Use of electric potential or currents to elicit biological responses.	Stimulation, Electric,Electrical Stimulation,Electric Stimulations,Electrical Stimulations,Stimulation, Electrical,Stimulations, Electric,Stimulations, Electrical
D006325	Heart Atria	The chambers of the heart, to which the BLOOD returns from the circulation.	Heart Atrium,Left Atrium,Right Atrium,Atria, Heart,Atrium, Heart,Atrium, Left,Atrium, Right
D006339	Heart Rate	The number of times the HEART VENTRICLES contract per unit of time, usually per minute.	Cardiac Rate,Chronotropism, Cardiac,Heart Rate Control,Heartbeat,Pulse Rate,Cardiac Chronotropy,Cardiac Chronotropism,Cardiac Rates,Chronotropy, Cardiac,Control, Heart Rate,Heart Rates,Heartbeats,Pulse Rates,Rate Control, Heart,Rate, Cardiac,Rate, Heart,Rate, Pulse
D000470	Alkaloids	Organic nitrogenous bases. Many alkaloids of medical importance occur in the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and some have been synthesized. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)	Alkaloid,Plant Alkaloid,Plant Alkaloids,Alkaloid, Plant,Alkaloids, Plant
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D051381	Rats	The common name for the genus Rattus.	Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus