Enzyme activities of myocardial energy metabolism during prolonged digoxin treatment in rats.

The effect of prolonged digoxin treatment (1 mg/kg day for 8 days) on the activity levels of some enzymes of energy metabolism (phosphofructokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, succinate dehydrogenase) in rat myocardium was studied. In the control animals receiving the solvent mixture (glycerol:ethanol:water in 1:1:1) a transient decrease in the lactate dehydrogenase and citrate synthase activity levels was observed. In the hearts of digoxin treated rats the level of activity of phosphofructokinase was permanently lowered by the fourth day and the level of activity of citrate synthase permanently increased after the first day of treatment. A transient increase in the activity level of succinate dehydrogenase in the myocardium of digoxin treated animals was seen between days 1 and 6. In this study a permanent decrease in phosphofructokinase and an increase in citrate synthase activity levels in rat heart muscle was noted during prolonged digoxin treatment.