Mechanism of cardiotonic action of monoethanolamine and its activity in experimental myocardial hypertrophy.

The authors investigated the cardiotonic effect of monoethanolamine (MEA) and its influence on experimental cardiac hypertrophy in albino rats. In isolated hearts, myocardial cells, and glycerinized fibres as well as in the whole organism of the animals, a distinct cardiotonic effect on MEA was observed, which was most marked in pathological states of the organism. In rats with experimental coarctation of the aorta, MEA dosed 10 mg/kg stimulated, and dosed 60 mg/kg, inhibited the development of myocardial hypertrophy, while the myocardial contractility remained sufficiently preserved. The mechanism of cardiotonic action and the inhibitory effect on the development of myocardial hypertrophy at the dosage of 60 mg/kg are apparently connected with the participation of MEA in tissue metabolic processes contributing to a normalization of tissue respiration, oxidative phosphorylation, and activation of phosphatide-generating reactions, especially to the formation of phospholipids containing ethanolamine, which represent one of the most important membrane formations and components of numerous enzymic systems.