Normalization of depressed heart function in rats by ribose.

Severe constriction of the abdominal aorta and simultaneous injection of isoproterenol in rats induced depression in heart function and reductions in cardiac adenosine triphosphate and total adenine nucleotides. When ribose was continuously infused for 24 hours, biosynthesis of cardiac adenine nucleotides was stimulated to such an extent that the reductions in adenosine triphosphate and total adenine nucleotides were prevented and left ventricular hemodynamic parameters were normal. These results support the hypothesis that adenosine triphosphate is primarily responsible for depression in myocardial contractility and that ribose is cardioprotective through its pronounced effects on adenine nucleotide metabolism in heart muscle.