Chlorpromazine has been reported to suppress cardiac arrhythrnias produced ex perimentally (1, 2) and those observed in clinical practice (3). Two new phenothiazine derivatives, namely piperacetazine (2-acetyl-10-{-3 [-4-(fl-hydroxyethyl)-piper] dine] pro pyl}-phenothiazine) and benzosulfonate (1-methyl-2-{-(2-methylsulfinyl-dibenzothiazinyl 10)-ethyl-1 }-piperidine) have been recently synthesized (4, 5). Hence it is of interest to determine if they possess antiarrhythmic activity.
MATERIAL AND METHODSFreshly prepared I % solutions in isotonic saline of benzosulfonate and piperacetazine were used. Cardiac arrhythmias were produced in vagotornized mongrel dogs of both sexes weighing between 8 and 18 kg by the following techniques:1. Acetylcholine-induced atrial fibrillation Twelve animals were anaesthetized with intravenous pentobarbital sodium, 30 mg/ kg. Atrial fibrillation was produced according to the method of Scherf and Chick (6) which was followed in all essential details as described by Schallek (7). A small pledget of cotton soaked in 5 per cent acetylcholine was placed on the area of sino-atrial node.One minute later, atrial fibrillation was induced by pinching the atrium and its duration noted. Two such controls were taken after which the procedure was repeated a third time. After the atria were fibrillating for a minute, the drug to be tested was injected and reduction in the duration of fibrillation noted.
Atrial flutter incluced by injury-stimulationAccording to the method of Rosenblueth and Garcia Ramos (8) 3. Aconitine-induced atrial arrhythmia Atrial arrhythmia was produced by the method of Scherf (9) in 13 dogs which were anaesthetized as above. A cotton pledget soaked in 0.05% solution of aconitine hydro