The effect of HR (O-Beta-Hydroxyethylo-Rutoside, Venoruton) on the deformability of erythrocytes in patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans of lower limbs.

Deformability of red cells and plasma levels of cAMP and cGMP were studied in patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans of lower limbs. Deformability of red cells and plasma levels of cAMP were found to be decreased in these patients. Venous injection of HR (Venoruton) in one dose (1,000 mg) to patients, led to an increase of red cell deformability and normalisation of cAMP plasma level. The plasma level of cGMP was not changed. The beneficial effect of HR in arteriosclerosis obliterans depends, first of all, on improving the deformability of red cells. The decreased deformability observed in arteriosclerosis seems to be a result of disturbances in the rate of spectrin phosphorylation of the erythrocyte membrane. By normalising the plasma level of cAMP HR had a considerable influence on the appropriate state of elasticity of the red cell membrane.