Effect of strophanthidin on electrolyte content and PAH accumulation of rabbit kidney slices

Abstract

The cardiac aglycone strophanthidin interferes with cation transport and p-aminohippurate (PAH) accumulation in slices of rabbit renal cortex. Incubation of cortical slices with 3 x 10–5 m strophanthidin results in a depression in slice potassium content, an increase in slice sodium content, and a decrease in the slice to medium ratio for PAH without significantly affecting oxygen consumption. These effects are prevented by increasing the concentration of potassium in the bathing medium. The interference with PAH accumulation is apparently secondary to the associated potassium depletion and does not represent a specific effect of the cardiotonic steroid on PAH transport. No evidence for mineralocorticoid antagonism of the aglycone effect was obtained. The former compounds exert no effects on either the electrolyte composition or PAH accumulation of cortical slices nor do they prevent the response to added strophanthidin.