[Effect of lithium preparations on cardiac arrhythmias due to strophanthin in waking rats].

It was shown in experiments on conscious rats that intravenous injection of strophanthine in toxic doses provokes heart arrhythmias and death of the animals. Lithium drugs (lithium chloride and lithium hydroxybutyrate) injected during arrhythmias led to a short-lived effect of heart rhythm normalization. Lithium hydroxybutyrate was more effective if administered shortly after strophanthine injection, reducing the latter's cardiotoxic effect and preventing the death of the majority of the animals.

[Effects of lithium preparations in certain forms of experimental arrhythmias].

In tests on cats with cut vagus and aortal nerves, clipped common carotid arteries caused a sharp increase in sympathic activity (SA) in the cardiac nerves, a rise of arterial pressure (AP) and ventricular arrhythmias. Lithium chloride and hydroxibutirate injected intravenously reduced SA, AP and restored sinus rhythm. While administering arrhythmogenic doses of strophantin R, similar rhythm disturbances were observed in addition to increase in SA in animals with denervated cardio-aortal and sinocarotid areas.