Effect of carpaine, a papaya alkaloid, on the circulatory function in the rat.

Carpaine is one of the major components of alkaloid of papaya leaves. Circulatory effects of carpaine were studied in Wistar male rats weighing 314 +/- 13 g, under pentabarbital (30 mg/kg) anesthesia. Increasing dosages of carpaine from 0.5 mg/kg to 2.0 mg/kg resulted in progressive decrease in systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressure. Selective autonomic nervous blockade with atropine sulfate (1 mg/kg) or propranolol hydrochloride (8 mg/kg) did not alter the circulatory response to carpaine. Carpaine, 2 mg/kg, reduced cardiac output, stroke volume, stroke work, and cardiac power, but the calculated total peripheral resistance remained unchanged. It is concluded from these results that carpaine affects the myocardium directly. The effects of carpaine may be related to its macrocyclic dilactone structure, a possible cation chelating structure.