Almotrefi A A, Baker J B
Br J Pharmacol. 1980;71(2):635-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1980.tb10984.x.
1 The electrical stimulation and ventricular fibrillation thresholds were measured in the Langendorff-perfused rabbit heart by application of rectangular impulses of 3 ms duration and increasing current at frequencies of 4 and 20 Hz respectively. 2 Perfusion with either phenytoin or mexiletine produced significant dose-dependent increases in both thresholds. 3 Perfusion with four anticonvulsant inhibitors of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-transaminase, aminooxyacetic acid, gamma-acetylenic GABA, gamma-vinyl GABA and sodium valproate, up to a concentration of 20 microgram/ml, had no significant effect on either threshold. 4 The results suggest that these compounds, unlike phenytoin and mexiletine, are devoid of antifibrillatory activity.