[Plasma concentration and elimination behavior of the cardiac glycoside meproscillarin in patients with liver cirrhosis].

During a one week period patients with liver cirrhosis and a control group were treated with a repeated dosage of the new heart glcoside Meproscillarin. After achieving a steady state in plasma level the same Meproscillarin plasma levels were found among both groups. Compared with the control group no difference was detected in the elimination rate of Meproscillarin in patients with liver cirrhosis, which means a complex disturbed liver function. Nevertheless the greater variance of the Meproscillarin plasma levels in the patients with liver cirrhosis in comparison with the controls means a diminished predictability of the therapeutic success in the cirrhosis group. With this limitation Meproscillarin can be used therapeutically in patients with liver cirrhosis, because a toxic accumulation is not to be expected.