The preparation was obtained from a beagle dog of either sex, weighing approximately 10 kg. The dog was anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium (30 mg/kg, iv), given heparin calcium (500 U/kg, iv) and exsanguinated. The heart was excised and plunged into cold Tyrode's solution kept at approximately 4°C.The sinoatrial node preparation consists of the entire right atrium. 5,7 The sinus node artery was cannulated through the right coronary artery. Bipolar recording electrodes were attached on the atrial epicardium close to the sinus nodal region.The papillary muscle preparation consists of the anterior papillary muscle of the right ventricle attached to the interventricular septum. 6,7 The anterior septal artery, which was the sole nutrient artery of the preparation, was directly cannulated. Bipolar stimulating electrodes were attached onto the His-bundle region.Blood-Donor Dog HBD dogs (Kitayama Labes, Yoshiki Farm, Gifu, Japan) of either sex, weighing 17-20 kg, were used as a blood donors. The dog was anesthetized Colforsin daropate is a recently developed water-soluble derivative of forskolin that directly stimulates adenylate cyclase, unlike the catecholamines. The chronotropic, inotropic and coronary vasodilator actions of colforsin daropate were compared with those of isoproterenol, dopamine and dobutamine, using canine isolated, bloodperfused heart preparations. The stimulating effect of each drug on adenylate cyclase activity was also assessed. Colforsin daropate, as well as each of the catecholamines, exerted positive chronotropic, inotropic and coronary vasodilator actions. The order of selectivity for the cardiovascular variables of colforsin daropate was coronary vasodilation >> positive inotropy > positive chronotropy; whereas that of isoproterenol, dopamine and dobutamine was positive inotropy >> coronary vasodilation > positive chronotropy. Thus, a marked characteristic of colforsin daropate is its potent coronary vasodilator action. On the other hand, each drug significantly increased the adenylate cyclase activity in a dose-related manner: colforsin daropate >> isoproterenol > dopamine = dobutamine. These results suggest that colforsin daropate may be preferable in the treatment of severe heart failure where the coronary blood flow is reduced and -adrenoceptor-dependent signal transduction pathway is downregulated. (Circ J 2002; 66: 1150 -1154