The chronic effects of long-term digoxin administration on Na+/K(+)-ATPase activity in rat tissues. 1993

P W Li, and C S Ho, and R Swaminathan
Department of Chemical Pathology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories.

We have studied the effects of digoxin administration on Na+/K(+)-ATPase activity in heart, liver, muscle, renal medulla and aorta in the rat. Adult male rats were either treated with digoxin for 3 days, 7 days (5 mg/kg per day) or 3 months (3 mg/kg per day). Another group of rats were treated with the vehicle as controls. At the end of the experimental period, blood samples were taken for digoxin measurements, the animals were sacrificed, and the heart, liver, kidney, skeletal muscle and aorta were removed, homogenised and assayed for Na+/K(+)-ATPase activity. In all tissues except the aorta Na+/K(+)-ATPase activity was measured by an enzyme coupled reaction. Na+/K(+)-ATPase activity in the aorta was measured by a fluorometric potassium dependent 3-O-methyl fluorescein phosphatase activity. Plasma digoxin concentration in the digoxin group was 5.34 nmol/l (S.E.M., 0.09) in the 3-day group and 4.38 (0.68) and 4.89 (0.73) nmol/l in the 7-day and 3-month groups, respectively. After treatment for 3 days and 7 days, the Na+/K(+)-ATPase activity in all tissues was significantly lower in the digoxin group (the decrease in activity ranging from 13.4% in muscle to 46.9% in the renal medulla). After 3 months of treatment, Na+/K(+)-ATPase activity in all the tissues except the aorta was similar in the digoxin and control groups. In the aorta the activity remained low. We conclude that in rats digoxin administration causes upregulation of the Na+/K(+)-ATPase in most tissues.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007679 Kidney Medulla The internal portion of the kidney, consisting of striated conical masses, the renal pyramids, whose bases are adjacent to the cortex and whose apices form prominent papillae projecting into the lumen of the minor calyces. Kidney Papilla,Kidney Medullas,Kidney Papillas,Medulla, Kidney,Medullas, Kidney,Papilla, Kidney,Papillas, Kidney
D008099 Liver A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances. Livers
D008297 Male Males
D009132 Muscles Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals. Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D009206 Myocardium The muscle tissue of the HEART. It is composed of striated, involuntary muscle cells (MYOCYTES, CARDIAC) connected to form the contractile pump to generate blood flow. Muscle, Cardiac,Muscle, Heart,Cardiac Muscle,Myocardia,Cardiac Muscles,Heart Muscle,Heart Muscles,Muscles, Cardiac,Muscles, Heart
D004077 Digoxin A cardiotonic glycoside obtained mainly from Digitalis lanata; it consists of three sugars and the aglycone DIGOXIGENIN. Digoxin has positive inotropic and negative chronotropic activity. It is used to control ventricular rate in ATRIAL FIBRILLATION and in the management of congestive heart failure with atrial fibrillation. Its use in congestive heart failure and sinus rhythm is less certain. The margin between toxic and therapeutic doses is small. (From Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p666) Digacin,Digitek,Digoregen,Digoxina Boehringer,Digoxine Nativelle,Dilanacin,Hemigoxine Nativelle,Lanacordin,Lanicor,Lanoxicaps,Lanoxin,Lanoxin-PG,Lenoxin,Mapluxin,Boehringer, Digoxina,Lanoxin PG,Nativelle, Digoxine,Nativelle, Hemigoxine
D000254 Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase An enzyme that catalyzes the active transport system of sodium and potassium ions across the cell wall. Sodium and potassium ions are closely coupled with membrane ATPase which undergoes phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, thereby providing energy for transport of these ions against concentration gradients. ATPase, Sodium, Potassium,Adenosinetriphosphatase, Sodium, Potassium,Na(+)-K(+)-Exchanging ATPase,Na(+)-K(+)-Transporting ATPase,Potassium Pump,Sodium Pump,Sodium, Potassium ATPase,Sodium, Potassium Adenosinetriphosphatase,Sodium-Potassium Pump,Adenosine Triphosphatase, Sodium, Potassium,Na(+) K(+)-Transporting ATPase,Sodium, Potassium Adenosine Triphosphatase,ATPase Sodium, Potassium,ATPase, Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging,Adenosinetriphosphatase Sodium, Potassium,Pump, Potassium,Pump, Sodium,Pump, Sodium-Potassium,Sodium Potassium Exchanging ATPase,Sodium Potassium Pump
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
D001011 Aorta The main trunk of the systemic arteries. Aortas
D013997 Time Factors Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations. Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor

Related Publications

P W Li, and C S Ho, and R Swaminathan
December 1977, Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology,
P W Li, and C S Ho, and R Swaminathan
July 1987, Journal of neurochemistry,
P W Li, and C S Ho, and R Swaminathan
January 1988, Voprosy meditsinskoi khimii,
P W Li, and C S Ho, and R Swaminathan
June 1987, Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology,
P W Li, and C S Ho, and R Swaminathan
April 1987, Kidney international,
P W Li, and C S Ho, and R Swaminathan
October 2004, Journal of enzyme inhibition and medicinal chemistry,
P W Li, and C S Ho, and R Swaminathan
September 2006, Neuroscience letters,
P W Li, and C S Ho, and R Swaminathan
December 1996, Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai zasshi,
P W Li, and C S Ho, and R Swaminathan
March 1983, Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (New York, N.Y.),
Copied contents to your clipboard!