An abnormal ECG and the adrenaline-induced arrhythmias in restraint and water immersion stressed mice and effects of oxprenolol on them

Abstract

Male ddY mice were loaded with restraint and water immersion stress (RWIS) for 1 hr, and their ECG was measured by lead II. A considerable decrease of heart rate and remarkable prolongations of PQ, QT and QRS intervals were observed in the ECG of RWIS mice. Then experimental arrhythmias were induced by methacholine or adrenaline (Adr) on RWIS mice, and their frequencies of appearance were examined. The appearances of methacholine-induced ventricular extrasystole, atrio-ventricular (A-V) block, sino-atrial (S-A) block and sinus standstill were higher in RWIS mice than in normal mice, and the appearances of sinus arrhythmia and supraventricular extrasystole were similar to normal mice. The appearance of Adr-induced arrhythmia of any type was significantly higher in RWIS mice than in normal mice. Then protective effects of 3 β-blockers, oxprenolol, propranolol and carteolol, on the worsening of Adr-induced arrhythmias on RWIS mice were studied. A single administration of 5 or 10 mg/kg of oxprenolol or 5 mg/kg of propranolol inhibited the appearance of extrasystole and A-V block. The effectiveness of three-times administrations of 1 ?? 10 mg/kg of oxprenolol was similar to that of the single administration. These results suggest that oxprenolol shows a strong antiarrhythmic effect by continuous administrations on chronic syndromes in SART mice, and it shows an immediate effect by a single administration on acute syndromes in RWIS mice.